Safer supply remains largely uncontrolled in the province

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Canadian addiction experts say that Ontario needs to better regulate “safer supply” prescribing, because unscrupulous doctors have been cashing in by opening “electronic pill mills” — video terminals where addicts can receive enormous opioid prescriptions after only a few minutes of remote consultation.

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“Safer supply” refers to the practice of prescribing addicts free recreational drugs — typically hydromorphone, a heroin-strength opioid — with minimal supervision under the assumption that this dissuades use of riskier street substances.

Although the federal Liberals and B.C. NDP championed this “harm reduction” experiment in the late 2010s and early 2020s, they were forced to backtrack after media reports showed that many safer supply recipients sell their free hydromorphone to purchase illicit street fentanyl, and that this floods communities with diverted opioids, fuelling addiction.

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