Crackdown podcast

Stay tuned for a coming episode on the BC NDP's overhaul of our tiny safe supply/dilly program (as known as "prescribed alternatives")

They’re at risk of dying from opioid overdose. The government cut funding that could help them | CBC News As deadly drug overdoses climbed across Canada, decision-makers faced political backlash for funding programs that gave drug users prescribed opioids and, against their own experts’ advice, scaled bac...

It wasn't just drug users, social scientists, Dr. Henry, BC's Chief Coroner.. turns out Health Canada’s expert committee was also urging the govt to expand safe supply.

Instead of listening to science + lived experience, the feds & the BC NDP decided to kill safe supply. shorturl.at/VdxHc

Safer supply changes leave patients struggling for stability – The Discourse. A local doctor says the province’s new safer supply rules are more about politics than public health.

A local doctor says the province’s new safer supply rules are more about politics than public health.
thediscourse.ca/nanaimo/like...

‘Fear and anxiety’: What our police FOI requests uncovered about Vancouver’s stranger assaults scare Internal emails obtained through Freedom of Information requests shed light on the Vancouver Police Department's media strategy related to stranger assaults ahead of the city's 2022 election.

VPD was aware of the intense public interest – and also of the “fear and anxiety” news of stranger assaults was causing in 2022. VPD issued at least 52 releases mentioning stranger assaults, but provided no updated data about the frequency of these crimes. www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

Episode 37: Drugstore Cowboy — Crackdown Podcast Diversion: a cold, technocratic word for when we give, trade or sell our prescribed meds to someone else. A ghost story, whispered among doctors and now, a moral panic, hollered by right wing politici...

Full house at BCAPOM today for a listening party: @crackdownpod.bsky.social ep37 “Drugstore Cowboy” about the moral panic around “diversion” (AKA Sharing) www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...

I owe this story to the people I interviewed, including Esther Tailfeathers, @ehyshka.bsky.social, David Hodgins, recovery centre workers and esp @harmreduxnurse.bsky.social & her son Brandon of @4bharmredux.bsky.social.

My story commission was donated to 4B to help B’s remarkable stabilization… 1/

Episode 54: Get Sober or Get Dead — Crackdown Podcast Alberta is the involuntary treatment capital of Canada. Since 2006, the province has encouraged parents to waive their children's rights and force them into detox as part of the Protection of Children...

And if you want an update on how Brandon & Angie are doing, listen to @crackdownpod.bsky.social’s recent episode, Get Sober or Get Dead — the first Crackdown episode centred in Alberta.

It’s beautiful, words can’t really do it justice: 2/
www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...

Episode 55: The Man in the High Castle — Crackdown Podcast With fascism on the rise around the world, we explore the relationship between Canada’s housing and policing policies and the risk of far right authoritarianism at home. 

🚨NEW EPISODE 🚨

With fascism on the rise around the world, we explore the relationship between Canada’s housing and policing policies and the risk of far right authoritarianism at home.

www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...

Just narcanned a guy on Hawks & Hastings. Took 4 ampules & 10 min. Thought he wasn’t coming back. Scared the shit out of me.
Cop yelled at me: “Get back!! I won’t tell you again!!”
I said, “I was the first responder here. I saved his life. Just want him to see a friendly face.” 🖕Task Force Barrage

Methadone is a well studied, safe, subsidized, pharmaceutical opioid. A pretty good substitute for heroin. But street dope is stronger now, so we need stronger substitutes.

Garth Mullins of "Crackdown" on Loss, Methadone and Drug-User Organizing Podcast host Mullins spoke with Filter about his new memoir, "Crackdown: Surviving and Resisting the War on Drugs."

“Methadone saved my life," @garthmullins.bsky.social told Filter. "I no longer had to spend all my time and money outrunning dopesickness. I could get on with doing the other things I wanted.”

Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel acknowledges lack of evidence on forced addictions treatment as B.C., Alberta expand it
www.msn.com/en-ca/news/c...

Episode 54: Get Sober or Get Dead — Crackdown Podcast Alberta is the involuntary treatment capital of Canada. Since 2006, the province has encouraged parents to waive their children's rights and force them into detox as part of the Protection of Children...

I love this episode of @crackdownpod.bsky.social.
We can heal broken relationships, and people do recover, with love, harm reduction, radical acceptance, and care.
@4bharmredux.bsky.social
www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...

Thank you Petra. 💜

Thanks Tyson!

Episode 54: Get Sober or Get Dead — Crackdown Podcast Alberta is the involuntary treatment capital of Canada. Since 2006, the province has encouraged parents to waive their children's rights and force them into detox as part of the Protection of Children...

per usual—as the political class creates spectacle from the toxic drug crisis, @crackdownpod.bsky.social shows us the intimate realities. important new episode: www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...
ft. @momsstoptheharm.bsky.social @4bharmredux.bsky.social

Thank you, Euan! Your work was a big force behind this episode. We are so grateful for your dedication to the drug user liberation movement. And for giving us the incredible title to this episode! You rule. 💜

Crackdown Podcast

Drop everything - the first @crackdownpod.bsky.social episode centred in Alberta just dropped
www.crackdownpod.com

Huge thanks to Angie (@harmreduxnurse.bsky.social) & Brandon from @4bharmredux.bsky.social. Crackdown isn't possible without the courage and vulnerability of our subjects who often share the hardest moments of their lives, so we can illustrate the injustice of the drug war. So much gratitude. 💜

Episode 54: Get Sober or Get Dead — Crackdown Podcast Alberta is the involuntary treatment capital of Canada. Since 2006, the province has encouraged parents to waive their children's rights and force them into detox as part of the Protection of Children...

Alberta is the involuntary treatment capital of Canada. On episode 54, we meet Angie & her son Brandon. When Brandon got wired as a teen, Angie had a difficult choice to make: should she force him to sober up? If she did, what would happen to their relationship? www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...

six members of the Crackdown editorial board and I, to women, and for men, stand or sit in a semicircle holding Garth Mullins book crackdown, inside the VANDU boardroom.

Honoured and privileged to join the @crackdownpod.bsky.social editorial board today as they put final touches on the #AB episode.
You will want to listen when it drops later today.

BC Involuntary Treatment Taking Place in a Solitary Confinement Unit It raises pressing questions about the wellbeing of people being subjected to a form of treatment to which experts already object.

“Nobody thinks it’s a good idea,” Dave Webb, of the Surrey Union of Drug Users, tells @godfrey.bsky.social. “I thought in treatment we were supposed to reconnect with our loved ones and friends. If we’re putting somebody in segregation, how is that going to work?”

Health minister says forced addictions treatment lacks evidence, feds won’t intervene OTTAWA - Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel says there's no evidence that forcing people into addictions ...

I am very glad to hear the federal minister of health say that forced treatment does not work. Now all the provincial health ministers gotta listen. @crackdownpod.bsky.social will have an ep on this out in a few days.
cfjctoday.com/2025/06/03/h...

Crackdown by Garth Mullins | Penguin Random House Canada *NATIONAL BESTSELLER*Part memoir, part manifesto, Crackdown is a story of the drug war, told from the frontlines.

I'm thrilled so many profs use @crackdownpod.bsky.social episodes in their curriculum. Might I suggest including my book by the same name? Learning outcomes include: harm reduction, decrim, methadone, safe supply, HIV, PTSD, sex work, advocacy, research, etc www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/700597...

Two women wearing blue gloves are delivering puppies from a dog in the

Plenty of dramatic things happen at @crackdownpod.bsky.social Editorial Board / meetings. Too often we talk about death. But today Samona & Laura delivered puppies.

A man sits across from a woman at a booth in a cafe. They both hold a book in the middle. The book is called Crackdown.

I am honoured that Grace Chen wants to read my book. Grace runs the Ovaltine Cafe. She's been cooking good, affordable breakfasts for me & Jeff & the whole @crackdownpod.bsky.social team for years. She has much love for the DTES and it loves her right back. ❤️☕️🍳🥓

Episode 4: Blame — Crackdown Podcast This is not just some force of nature. Someone is to blame.

I’m reading Crackdown, by @garthmullins.bsky.social
Episode 4 of @crackdownpod.bsky.social also starts with Nick’s funeral.
The episode was the first time I had the opportunity to work with Garth and the crew. I’ve learned much from him and crackdown since.

www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/i7y...

Episode 53: Goodbye Ashtrey — Crackdown Podcast We lost another soldier from the front lines. Trey Helten, longtime manager of the Overdose Prevention Society and all around harm reduction hero on the Downtown Eastside, has died at 42. Trey saved h...

Trey Helten was nothing less than a hero. He saved hundreds of lives by reversing ODs, driving people to treatment & just being kind. Trey was a friend to Crackdown and appeared on the show twice. We'll never forget you, Trey. Rest in power. rb.gy/ztwctt

After waiting in 2hr lines to vote, Vancouver chose to elect a socialist to city council. And the head of the police union lost. Huge congratulations to @seanorr.bsky.social from VANDU, BCAPOM and @crackdownpod.bsky.social. We know you got our six.

Episode 51: Goodbye Shelda — Crackdown Podcast On March 26th, we learned that our dear friend and comrade Shelda Kastor passed away. Shelda was a hero who dedicated decades of her life to fighting for the poor, drug users, Indigenous people, and w...

New Episode: Goodby Shelda.

Shelda Kastor was a hero who dedicated her life to helping vulnerable people in Vancouver. She was also our friend.

In Episode 51 of Crackdown we say goodbye to Shelda. We will never forget you. 💔

www.crackdownpod.com/episodes/epi...