A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed in B.C. Supreme Court alleging both the province and federal government are responsible for the addictions and in one case the death of teens gaining access to diverted supply.
Amelie North’s family believes the B.C. government’s prescribed drug supply program led the 17-year-old down a path of destruction. She’s currently undergoing treatment for addiction.
“I understand the purpose for it,” mom Denise Fenske told Global News, “but I believe the repercussions are astronomically horrendous.”
On Wednesday, lawyers delivered a civil class action claim on behalf of North, represented by Fenske and Kamilah Sword.
Amelie and Kamilah were best friends and both purchased drugs diverted from the government’s program that they believed was safe.
Kamilah, died following an overdose in 2022.
In the lawsuit, her father, Greg Sword is his daughter’s proposed representative plaintiff.
Amelie is currently receiving treatment but her mom believes her addiction was something that started with diverted pills.
“I don’t know what her life is going to be like going forward,” Fenske said.
“I don’t know if she is going to be OK, if she is going to be able to get past the addiction.”
The class action lawsuit claim alleges that Kamilah and Amelie relied on the “negligent misrepresentations to begin consuming the Safe Supply Drugs, believing they were safe and they relied upon the negligent misrepresentations throughout the duration of their addictions.”
In addition, the lawsuit claims that the defendants, including both the province and federal government, “failed and continue to fail to monitor the Safe/Safer Supply Program and how the terminology ‘safe’, ‘safe supply’, ‘safer supply’ or ‘prescribed safer supply’ is used to motivate the innocent Class Members.”
At a press conference on Wednesday, Premier David Eby said his government will do “everything it can to keep everyone alive so if they have a moment of clarity they can get the help they need, that is why we had the prescribed alternatives program.”
As the statement was submitted on Wednesday, the defendants have not had the chance to respond. The allegations have not been proven in court.