This moral-panic-news-making piece was published over a decade ago. It has a striking similarity to recent National Post columns. What's worrisome is that the harmful effects will also be repeated. 1/9

ctvnews.ca/w5/w5-goes-und… Around 2011, media outlets descended on a small town in Nova Scotia to drum up stories about 'unsavoury' doctors overprescribing opioids, 'wicked' patients selling medications, 'rampant' problems of drug diversion, & the inherent criminality associated with opioids. 2/9

Before expanding involuntary mental health or substance use interventions, the state has the onus to prove that such human rights infringements are necessary & justifiable. 1/12 🧵 Claims by the state that involuntary interventions are mobilized as a “last resort” are hollow without being supported by robust analysis of the less restrictive options & positive measures that have been attempted as a “first resort”. 2/12

In 2021, the BC Representative for Children & Youth examined BC's involuntary mental health system for youth, finding an "alarming" increase in the use of involuntary interventions & revealing troubling accounts from children & youth who had been involuntarily detained. 1/5 Given the profound negative effects that involuntary interventions can have on people's lives, it was recommended that the BC govt study the conditions contributing to the "alarming" increase & take immediate steps to expand voluntary care & to reduce involuntary admissions. 2/5