Safe-supply drugs aren't being widely diverted: solicitor general

British Columbia's solicitor general says there's no evidence of widespread diversion of safe-supply opioids into the illegal drug market, after a recent seizure was cited by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre to criticize the provincial program.

Mike Farnworth says he's spoken to the RCMP's commanding officer in B.C. about the drug seizure in Prince George and was told the idea that there is widespread diversion is «simply not true.»

He says Smith and Poilievre shouldn't have made claims about the seizure without waiting for all the information.

RCMP in Prince George said last week that the seized pills included morphine and hydromorphone, two of the drugs in B.C.'s program offering prescription alternatives to people at risk of overdose from consuming toxic street drugs. They said officers had seen «an alarming trend» involving organized criminals who were redistributing safe-supply drugs.

On Monday afternoon, however, B.C. RCMP assistant commissioner John Brewer said there is «currently no evidence to support a widespread diversion» of the legally prescribed substances to the illegal drug market.

«The seizure of prescription drugs, such as narcotics and opioids, that are no longer in the possession of their prescribed owner is something the police have had to deal with on many occasions,» he said in a statement. «However, the presence of confirmed safer-supply prescriptions are in the minority of drug seizures.»

Farnworth says «some but not all» of the drugs seized in Prince George and in another investigation in Campbell River were from the safe supply program.

Smith said on Friday she was concerned that diverted safe-supply drugs from B.C. may end up being trafficked to Alberta, while