Brittany Graham

Advocates for drug users are raising concerns about British Columbia's request for Health Canada to empower police to step in when they see illicit drug use in public spaces, saying it may be a step backward in the fight against the deadly opioid crisis.

Sunday marked eight years to the day since the province declared a public health emergency related to the deadly toxic drug crisis, and Graham said it's a sombre anniversary as she and others in public health reflect on the thousands of deaths.