Jerry Martin, a Vancouver man who opened The Drugs Store, has taken the opportunity to give customers a mobile drug store as a way to ensure the safe supply of illegal drugs. Users in the downtown core have the option to buy heroin, meth, cocaine and MDMA.
Martin hopes to be one of the solutions to fight the toxic and drug overdose crisis by creating an accessible safe supply. “We are trying to help curb overdoses and other dangers that happen from drug buying,” Martin said.
“Just for someone buying their drugs, this is a lot safer. People have to go through many things to get their drugs — you could get robbed in an alley and many women get abused,” he added.
“It’s also going to stop a lot of the overdoses as people don’t even know what they are getting (typically). It’s very important that people know when they are buying something, they are getting that product.”
Residents in Vancouver should be careful before making a purchase. In a statement by the Vancouver police, the officials announced they know about the store and will “consider enforcement against anyone violating the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.”
Martin remains unafraid of a trip to prison since an arrest can help him raise funds to kick off a constitutional challenge to make all drugs legalized, which he says costs around $250,000.
Although officials aren’t on board, community members are supportive of his bold initiative.
“It is important to set a precedent for things like this. If there is an opportunity for clean drugs to replace dirty drugs that are killing people, then why not? I think it can only be a good thing,” said Dominique Jean-Couture, a Vancouver resident.
“I think there are going to be contrarians that think that it’s just allowing people to do drugs but people that do drugs are (dying). I think it’s a step in the right direction.”
Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/9673682/illegal-drug-store-vancouver-illicit-substances-safe-supply/