In a recent three-month investigation, Toronto law enforcement seized hundreds of kilograms of drugs, sparking discussions about the impact on the market.

Dr. Dan Werb, Director of the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, has long questioned the effectiveness of such busts in curbing drug market dynamics. His research focuses on evaluating Toronto’s drug checking service, which analyzes street drugs for content and purity.

“The more pressure you impose on the market, the more it accelerates and innovates to evade that pressure,” Dr. Werb explained. He highlighted the shift from heroin to fentanyl in the illegal drug market, emphasizing fentanyl’s significantly higher potency.

Dr. Werb argues that addressing the overdose crisis requires more than law enforcement efforts. He asserts that government regulation is crucial to wrest control of the market from drug trafficking organizations.

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