B.C. Street Drug ‘Compassion Club’ Files Charter Challenge Over Arrest and Shutdown

The founders of a Vancouver-based "compassion club" that provided tested heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine have filed a Charter challenge, claiming their rights and the rights of drug users were violated when their operation was shut down and they were arrested. Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum, co-founders of the Drug User Liberation Front, argue that denying access to a safe, predictable drug supply while forcing users to rely on toxic street drugs is a violation of their rights.

The legal action, filed in B.C. Supreme Court, asserts that shutting down the compassion club infringes on members’ rights to life, liberty, and security of the person. Nyx and Kalicum claim that the club's members, who suffer from serious addictions, are now left with no choice but to turn to the dangerous, unregulated street drug supply, increasing their risk of harm.

The court filing also states that the compassion club had been authorized by Vancouver Coastal Health to collect, store, and transport illicit drugs for testing, arguing that the founders should not have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. Both Nyx and Kalicum now face those charges, sparking a public debate between the governing NDP and the Opposition BC United.

The compassion club’s legal challenge claims that the shutdown disproportionately harms individuals struggling with addiction and violates the right to equality by exacerbating the risks they face from contaminated street drugs.