Black in B.C. Panel rounds out Black History Rescue Horse Murakami Day From scrap heap to show ring, Vancouver celebrates artist A ce the tale of a South Van horse's Month at Vancouver Public behind The Octopus Eats its “= comeback. P8 Library. P7 Own Leg. langaravoice.ca gz | . GY -& FEBRUARY 22, 2018 * VOL. 49 NO. 10 > VANCOUVER, B.C. } s _ James Gonzalo, a night cleaner at Langara, goes about his route in Building A cleaning classrooms and emptying trash barrels. Langara’s cleaning staff are fighting to switch unions claiming unfair wage and benefit agreements. PHOTO CAMERON THOMSON Traces of lead found in opioids doda and afeem Fraser Health warns drugs carry a possible poisoning risk By LISA STEACY he use of traditional opioids in South Asian communities could po- tentially carry an ad- ditional __ risk, according to Fraser Health, which recently alerted health professionals to lead contami- nated drugs. Debra Kent Garry Sandhu of British Co- counsetior lumbia — Drug and Poison In- formation Centre said that heavy metal poisoning is a rare but docu- mented risk associated with afeem and doda, substances made from the opium poppy and commonly used in South Asian communities in the Lower Mainland. ‘The primary communities at risk are South Asian males, a demo- graphic which makes up a large proportion of Surrey’s popula- tion and is also well represented in South Vancouver. Of Langara Col- lege’s 6000 international students many are also South Asian. “Many are unaware of the dan- gers of lead in some of these prod- ucts,” Kent said in an email. “There also may be others who feel unwell and don't go see their physician or heavy metal poisoning isn’t sus- pected.” In December Fraser Health treated a case of lead poisoning in a patient who was using doda to manage chronic pain. The symp- toms included “decreased levels of consciousness, seizure-like activity and a whole variety of abnormal Nausea, seizures, decreased level of consciousness blood work.” Kent said there are fewer than three cases of reported heavy metal poisoning each year in the province but such cases often require pro- longed treatment. Heavy metals can be introduced accidentally to opium derivatives, through contaminated soil or de- liberately by sellers of the drug in order increase its weight and its sale price, according to Dr. Arun Garg, the Medical Director of Fraser Health's South Asian Health In- stitute. Garg said doctors must be dili- gent in asking about traditional drugs as part of patient histories. “One needs to be putting more emphasis on the public health part Dec. 2017 at a Fraser Health emergency room of it because as our society becomes more and more plural and multi- cultural the usage and the interest in some of these traditional prepa- rations and medicines is going to grow,” he said. Garry Sandhu, an addictions counsellor at Path to Freedom, a Surrey facility that primarily serves South Asian men, said doda and afeem are often used by truck driv- ers. “They are the most popular drugs in our community,” he said. Both opioid derivatives were openly sold throughout the Lower Mainland before being made ille- gal in Canada in 2010. Since then doda and afeem use has decreased or gone underground Sandhu said. Dec. 2017: Surrey man arrested at U.S.-Canadian border for smuggling Tax packs empty homes Houses overfilled and overpriced By DESIREE GARCIA o avoid the Empty Homes Tax, South Vancouver resi- dents are hiring a new type of company to fill their houses with large numbers of young renters. Asheya Accommodations signs tenancy contracts with homeown- ers who do not occupy their homes then sublets to up 15 renters at a time. So far, the company has rent- ed nine homes, six of which are in South Vancouver. A Vancouver bylaw states that only three unrelated people can live together but UBC associate profes- sor Thomas Davidoff said the pe- nalities are too small to enforce this rule. “You have to be careful about fire safety and you know, over- crowding but the city has a hard time enforcing its bylaws.” One home on W. 46th Avenue has 13 residents, plus a man who lives in a van outside and uses the facilities. The house has had three party noise complaints from neigh- bours to police, and problems with excess trash attracting raccoons. House resident Luis Quiroga, a 26-year old mechanic, said that every space, apart from the kitchen and balcony, is used as a bedroom. Many residents are from abroad and move out after a few months. Rents reach up to $1,300. “This not designed for somebody who wants to be in Vancouver long- term. This is a house for somebody to make profit off international people,” he said. Davidoff said the concept is good as the city’s goal is to encourage rental stock in a market with a no- toriously low vacancy rate. “You have a lot of incentive to do it, and not a lot of downside.” The Empty Homes Tax fines owners of unoccupied houses one per cent of the property value per year. For the W. 46th home that would be $40,000. It is unclear how much of the rental profits from Asheya Accommodations goes to homeowners. Company owner Asheya Kass- ner did not respond to requests for comment. Her LinkedIn profile says: “I'm a visionary with the drive to see and create opportunities in our ever-evolving world.”