2023-09-18 from cbc.ca
Criticisms are mounting to a plan by Public Safety Minister Kris Austin to force some drug users into treatment against their will, with experts warning it could lead to more overdose deaths if implemented.
A group of 10 experts, including physicians, treatment workers and professors, has written an open letter saying forced treatment could lead to vicious withdrawal symptoms and decreased drug tolerance, leading to a higher chance of accidental overdoses once patients are released.
They also argue the proposal will alienate users from the health-care system because they'll fear being forced into treatment, leading to potentially fatal outcomes in emergency accidental overdose situations.
The group plans to gather signatures from others who agree with its message, and forward the letter and signatures to Austin and Premier Blaine Higgs on Monday, said Jamie Livingston, a co-author of the letter and associate professor of criminology at St. Mary's University in Halifax.
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