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Parents of teen who died of drug overdose speak out

The parents of a teenager who died Friday from an accidental overdose say the health-care system excluded them from having a say over their son’s painkiller prescriptions, leading him to street drugs.
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Elliot Eurchuk in a family photo. The parents of the Oak Bay teen, who died from an accidental drug overdose Friday, say they felt trapped by a medical system that didn't give them access to information about their son's painkiller use. Courtesy of Rachel Staples, via The Canadian Press

The parents of a teenager who died Friday from an accidental overdose say the health-care system excluded them from having a say over their son’s painkiller prescriptions, leading him to street drugs.

Elliot Eurchuk, 16, died at his home after taking street drugs his parents believe he was using to help him sleep.

Rachel Staples and Brock Eurchuk say their son’s drug use started after he was prescribed opioids for four surgical procedures last year, even though they had requested alternative treatments.

Elliot, who attended Oak Bay High School and Mount Douglas Secondary School in Saanich, had two surgeries on a fractured jaw, which he broke in a soccer match, and two shoulder reconstructions from another sports injury.

“Elliot was prescribed opioids around every surgery even though, as parents, we requested alternatives,” Staples said.

He returned to hospital for three weeks in February with a severe infection.

His parents say they again asked for alternatives to opioids, and for access to his medical records when he overdosed after leaving the hospital on a day pass. They say they were told Elliot was old enough to make his own medical decisions.

“Elliot, being 16, was given full autonomy by the health-care system to make his treatment decisions while specifically having my husband and I excluded from this information,” Staples said.

“This policy needs to be changed. Parents need a say in their child’s health care.”

The B.C. Infants Act says children under 19 may consent to medical treatment under certain conditions: the child understands the potential risks and benefits, and the health-care provider is sure the treatment is in the child’s best interest.

It’s up to the health-care provider to assess and ensure the child’s understanding of the treatment.

The Canadian Medical Protective Association says the concept of maturity has replaced age in laws in Canada.

“While it was once thought that a patient had to be of the age of majority to give consent, age is no longer the deciding factor in common law jurisdictions,” says the association’s medical legal handbook for physicians.

Only Quebec has established a fixed age of consent at 14. The consent of a parent or guardian is required for treatment of younger children.

Staples and Eurchuck believe their son started buying street drugs, which were marketed as pharmaceutical-grade pills, in the five-month period between two surgeries, when he experienced chronic and acute pain.

The couple don’t want Elliot remembered for how he died, or as another overdose statistic. Instead, they hope he will be remembered for who he was: a funny kid who loved reading and puns, rugby, soccer, boxing and hiking.

His father said he wants to dispel any myth that kids who use drugs are “bad.”

“My son wasn’t a perfect kid, but he was a kind, gentle, personable boy who had a really good future ahead of him,” Eurchuk said.

Elliot was clever and had an interest in chemistry, his father said, but he had a “fatal misunderstanding” that he had control over what was going into his body.

Staples said Elliot had hopes of pursuing a career in medicine.

As a friend, he was generous to a fault, she said. “He greatly valued his friendships and approached friends with sincere consideration and genuine kindness.”

She said she would like to see the system change to give parents a greater role in decisions about their children’s health.

“You can’t know what you’re doing when you have an addicted brain, and there’s no way a child should be making their own medical decisions when they’re in that state,” Staples said.

Island Health said it will conduct a review of the care Eurchuk received in the health authority’s facilities.

“At Island Health, our hearts are broken for the family and friends of this young man,” spokeswoman Meribeth Burton said in a statement.

“As his family is bravely speaking about the dangers of illicit drugs, we remind everyone: don’t use alone, have a naloxone kit and be trained to use it.”

The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed that it is in the early stages of an investigation into the death of a male teen.

A letter from Oak Bay High School to parents says the district’s critical response team will be at the school next week to offer counselling support to students.

Staff will also be given resources to help students.

A memorial event for Elliot will be held later in the week.

ceharnett@timescolonist.com