Garth Mullins
@garthmullins.bsky.social
Host @Crackdownpod.bsky.social VANDU veteran. Drugstore cowboy. National bestselling author. Award-winning journalist. Policy analyst. Shop steward. Blind. Be safe-Keep 6
We Ain’t Dead Yet!!! 🚨New @crackdownpod.bsky.social ep. Overdose deaths are down across North America & the far right wanna take credit. Plus update on what’s next for the pod. www.crackdownpod.com/episodes
Episodes — Crackdown Podcast
crackdownpod.com
TONIGHT I’ll Be reading from my book Crackdown + talk, Q&A at “Writers on the Drive”. 7PM. Continental Coffee 1806 Commercial Dr., Vancouver. FREE
🎙️ On The Decibel today talking about a proposed $66-million settlement reached over BC's use of birth alerts, a controversial notification system that allowed child-welfare agencies to flag pregnant ppl they deemed to be high-risk without their consent www.theglobeandmail.com/podcasts/the...
A big step forward for B.C. mothers subjected to ‘birth alerts’
There are class action lawsuits related to birth alerts underway in four other provinces
theglobeandmail.com
Anybody see the TV series Pistol? Thoughts? Based on Steve Jones’ memoir, which has some good moments. Lyndon has MAGA poisoning now and Sid has been gone since ‘79. The Sex Pistols seemed like assholes, but I played the grooves off of Nevermind the Bollicks when I was 14.
I get called less by journalists since the moral panic against harm reduction got started a couple years back. Even the good ones stand a little further back. Plus, we can no longer get meetings with cabinet ministers. These are clearly the least important metrics of backlash, but there it is.
My book, Crackdown, is a finalist for the BC and Yukon Book Prize (Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize). There are four other finalists. We'll find out who wins in the fall. bcyukonbookprizes.com/2026/04/14/a...
Announcing the 2026 BC and Yukon Book Prizes Shortlists - BC and Yukon Book Prizes
The West Coast Book Prize Society is pleased to announce the names of the finalists vying for recognition in eight categories at the 42nd Annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize aw...
bcyukonbookprizes.com
Congratulations, @avilewis.ca. I wasn't in Winnipeg this morning, but I kinda wish I was. What an amazing campaign.
Garth Mullins@garthmullins.bsky.social · 5mo agoToday, I voted for @avilewis.ca to lead the federal NDP. I never been a member of a political party before. I joined to do this one thing. I want the NDP to be a fighting force again. If you're an @ndp.ca member, vote for Avi. If you ain't, you can still support the campaign lewisforleader.ca
As the years go by, past police operations against Indigenous people and social movements are slowly exposed. And the spying continues. If you dream of a different world, and manage to actually do something about it, they probably got a file on you. www.cbc.ca/news/indigen...
How RCMP spies infiltrated the 1970s Indigenous rights movement | CBC News
A CBC Indigenous investigation has found the Cold War-era RCMP Security Service had a widespread and intrusive surveillance operation targeting at least 30 legitimate Indigenous political organization...
cbc.ca
Today, I voted for @avilewis.ca to lead the federal NDP. I never been a member of a political party before. I joined to do this one thing. I want the NDP to be a fighting force again. If you're an @ndp.ca member, vote for Avi. If you ain't, you can still support the campaign lewisforleader.ca
"To whom are you accountable?" A question almost never put to me in good faith. But, it's nonetheless important to me. As Exec Producer of @crackdownpod.bsky.social I'm accountable to the Editorial Board. As a drug user activist I'm accountable to VANDU members & the drug user movement.
I get that this is some pretty low politics, but do we have to use "drug users" as an insult? I'd say "ABC hack" is probably a bigger diss. @stephenquinn.bsky.social www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Vancouver councillor calls his opponents drug users and dealers in social media video | CBC News
Zhou did not respond to an immediate request for comment, but three hours later the mayors' office released a statement with an apology from Zhou.
cbc.ca
Speaking as one of many “heroes at the methadone clinics”, the whole waiting room cringes when that Kid Rock song comes on.
Just listened to latest episode of @garthmullins.bsky.social’s @crackdownpod.bsky.social Hard to listen to, but recommended 👇 podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/c...
Episode 56: Extraordinary Circumstances
Podcast Episode · Crackdown · 2026-01-30 · 53m
podcasts.apple.com
I endorse @avilewis.ca for leader of the @ndp.ca because we need leaders who are willing to take the NDP back to its working class, socialist roots-who & are willing to take money and power away from the people who are hoarding both while the rest of us bury our friends.
Listening to David Bowie narrate Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf with my baby. He's into it. Hunky Dory next, I reckon. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vr4...
Prokofiev : Peter And The Wolf, Op. 67 - David Bowie, narration; Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra
YouTube video by eblackadder3
youtube.com
Crackdown on the shelves at #Kerrisdale London Drugs!! @garthmullins.bsky.social … you’ve arrived! 😃🤣
We Refuse: Health Workers Against Involuntary Care is now public. @hrna.bsky.social and DSDP are circulating a joint statement opposing BC’s plan to expand involuntary drug treatment. This approach is ineffective, increases overdose risk, violates autonomy, and harms marginalized communities.
Bollocks! Drug seizures lead to MORE overdoses. During Task Force Barrage, I reversed 3 ODs. At one, a cop threatened to arrest me for being in the way - after I saved the guy. Our Mayor is full of shite. www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...
Vancouver mayor credits DTES task force with reducing overdoses. Here’s what public health experts say
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim continues to laud the impacts of a police-led task force focused on crime on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, claiming it led to a reduction in overdoses.
ctvnews.ca
I rocked my 6 month old baby as I learned another recent bleak war acronym: WCNSF - "Wounded child, no surviving family" Such a common occurrence they needed an abbreviation. I held my baby as the genocide rumbled on and felt fucking useless. #Gaza
In this past decade of mass death, there were timid steps in the right direction - at first. But the most coherent, passionate response from the state (and its various apparatus) has been to smash DULF, hire more cops & roll back what little harm reduction we had won.
Jen St. Denis@jenstden.bsky.social · 9mo agoBreaking: the founders of DULF have been found guilty of three counts of drug trafficking. @michellegamage.bsky.social will have the full story later today thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...
New on our PODCAST: SFU prof and researcher Kora DeBeck joins us with her comments on the expansion of involuntary care in B.C. @garthmullins.bsky.social @canadahealthwatch.ca @sudubc.bsky.social @msthpetra.bsky.social @koradebeck.bsky.social tiny.cc/gf7u001
Substance use research scientist questions expansion of involuntary care
Podcast Episode · Redeye · 2025-10-24 · 18m
tiny.cc
DULF case in court today. Judge: “everyone knew what was happening. It seems like these 2 [Nyx & Kalicum] are being hung out to dry. As soon as politicians started complaining, all of a sudden VPD-which before was fine-suddenly was not fine.” drugdatadecoded.ca/everyone-kne...
"Everyone knew what was happening," judge admonishes Crown as DULF awaits trafficking verdict
Justice Catherine Murray closed the trial with remarks that showed sympathy for the accused and noted the confusing behaviour of Health Canada, the Vancouver police and all other political entities du...
drugdatadecoded.ca
We started DULF because we knew nobody was coming to save us, so we had to save ourselves. It worked. But right wing politicians made themselves famous off scapegoating us. The government de-funded us. The cops raided us. But our day in court is here. thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...
Safe Drugs on Trial: DULF’s Trafficking Case Begins | The Tyee
The founders are charged with trafficking. Their lawyers argue they had a legal exemption from drug laws.
thetyee.ca
I’ve been invited to a writers festival. I’m gonna need a tweed jacket with elbow patches. I believe they are mandatory.
My 5 month old baby started hugging me last week. I no longer need opioids.
I’m sorry B-52s, but your love shack sounds like a pretty rancid joint. All the backing vocals in the universe can’t compensate for the couch in there
Just finished Crackdown by @garthmullins.bsky.social It’s an essential piece of history and good sense policy on the failures of the drug war. I highly recommend to anyone, especially educators. www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/700597...
Crackdown by Garth Mullins | Penguin Random House Canada
*NATIONAL BESTSELLER*Part memoir, part manifesto, Crackdown is a story of the drug war, told from the frontlines.
penguinrandomhouse.ca
