We are currently petitioning on behalf of the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU): drug user-led groups based in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, whose mandates include improving the lives of people who use drugs and providing tangible solutions to the ongoing drug toxicity crisis. This petition is a follow up on DULF's correspondence of August 31, 2021,  wherein they requested an exemption under section 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) to operate the “DULF Compassion Club.” The DULF Compassion Club is an innovative project that aims to reduce overdose-related deaths by introducing regulation into the illicit drug market and providing a consistent supply of substances that are labeled with the contents and potency. As laid out in DULF's proposal, and as signatories to this petition, we believe this model will not only save lives, but also reduce the incidence of crime, and reduce the existing burden on the judicial and medical systems.

In addition, while awaiting the Minister’s response to this request, DULF and VANDU submitted a complementary Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) application for funding to operate their innovative safe supply proposal. We ask that you consider this application, alongside their exemption request. For context, both of these applications were accompanied with expressions of support from a broad range of stakeholders including drug user groups, Vancouver Coastal Health, First Nations Health Authority, the City of Vancouver, Portland Hotel Society, The BC Centre on Substance Use and many more prominent organizations in the fields of drug policy and substance use.

DULF and it's allies are asking Health Canada the Federal Minister of Health, and other parties who hold tremendous potential to change the status quo, to grant the exemption request and approve the SUAP application. This would be a clear indicator that a response to the overdose crisis is being taken seriously and that the Canadian government cares about the lives and futures of people who use drugs, and that honour their Charter rights to life, liberty, security, and equality. At this point, even a temporary exemption while the proposals are being considered would be acceptable.