Life Won't Wait: naloxone and drug overdose prevention in British Columbia

In recent years British Columbia has seen an increase in fatal drug overdoses. In 2013, 308 British Columbians lost their lives to drug overdoses. The highest yearly total since 1998. Each death represents an emotional, social, and economic burden for the province to carry. Many of these deaths are entirely preventable. This research paper was conducted in order to understand the potential role that public policy and provincial legislation can play in reducing fatal drug overdoses, as well as the barriers and challenges that current programs face in their delivery. This paper uses a mixed-method design based on case studies, qualitative stakeholder interviews and quantitative survey results to determine fatality reduction measures, with a particular focus on naloxone, an overdose reversal drug.