'This has absolutely saved lives': Safe-supply drug dispensing machine in Victoria hailed a success
Joey Yoe and his dog Dink live in a Cool Aid Society supportive housing facility on Victoria's Douglas Street, better known as the former Tally-Ho hotel.
Yoe said he was "mostly a drinker" in his early years, but 15 years ago he tried heroin for the first time.
Four overdoses later, dealing with constant sickness, doing whatever it takes to get the next fix, he decided it was time to get a handle on his addiction.
Yoe says a machine in the lobby of the Cool Aid Society building has given him his life back.
“They call them hydromorphs but they’re Dilaudid,” said Yoe.
It’s a safe supply dispensing machine, reading the palm print of the user, dispensing a days worth of Dilaudid.
It’s a University of British Columbia pilot project run by MySafe Society. It’s one of four machines in B.C. and the only one on Vancouver Island.
“We have about 130 people on the program right now and the way we measure success, is that we have nobody that has died,” said Samantha Monckton, with MySafe Society.
In 2016, due to a toxic drug supply on the streets, the province declared a Public Health Emergency.
Since then, more than 10,000 people have died from overdoses, including 1,872 last year alone.
“Folks get a prescription and then they get a slot in the machine and then they’re able to access their prescription 24/7,” said Monckton.
Open for one year now, the palm print reader prevents users from getting more than they are allowed over a certain time period.
“We have people consistently signing up for it,” said Jenny Temple, housing manager for the Cool Aid Society.
Thirty out of 47 people in the building, where 90 to 95 per cent of residents are opioid users, are signed up. Not one person has overdosed since joining the program.
“This has absolutely saved lives,” said Temple.
“It’s cut my usage in half,” said Yoe. “It really does help.”
The pills haven’t cured Yoe’s addiction – he still uses heroin and fentanyl – but they have provided him with stability, allowing longer periods of time to pass between using.
“Well, I’m alive here to do this interview, so it’s changed quite a bit. It saved my life actually,” said Yoe.
The pilot project will continue here in Victoria and early success already has safe supply advocates wanting MySafe machines to multiply.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.