Calgary woman suing Alberta government over prescribed opioid use restrictions

A Calgary woman is suing the Alberta government over regulations that would prevent her from obtaining hydromorphone, a potent opioid she takes three times a day to treat her severe opioid use disorder.

Ophelia Black, 21, was diagnosed with the disorder after she developed an opioid dependency as a teen, says thestatement of claim filed in Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday.

The document says the treatment regime Black currently follows allows her to effectively manage her condition and prevents her from using street-sourced opioids. But the province’s new standards require service providers to refrain from prescribing opioids for at-home use unless approved by a medical director.

“The regulations are impractical and restrictive for Black, and will result in her no longer accessing the only form of treatment that is effective for her severe opioid use disorder,” says the claim.

“Black will disengage from treatment and return to street-sourced opioid consumption, increasing her likelihood of overdose death or experiencing other serious health harms related to street-sourced opioid use.”