A Vancouver man has opened a mobile drug store to provide a safe supply of illicit substances to users in the downtown core.
Drug user advocates have been calling for an accessible safe supply for years to combat the toxic and drug overdose crisis and, now, Jerry Martin has taken matters into his own hands.
“We are trying to help curb overdoses and other dangers that happen from drug buying,” he told Global News.
“We are providing testing and supplies so people can do drugs safer.”
Wednesday was the opening day for The Drugs Store, a small mobile store that is selling heroin, meth, cocaine and MDMA, all of which have been tested at a drug testing site for harmful additives, 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 said.
“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.”
In a statement, Vancouver police said they are aware of the store and will consider enforcement against anyone violating the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Martin said he actually wants to be arrested in an effort to raise funds to launch a constitutional challenge to make all drugs legalized, which he says costs around $250,000.
Community members at the opening said they believe in Martin’s work.
“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.”
Martin said he will be putting the money earned from the store back into the community but did not offer exactly how.