Have you noticed purple ribbons around yourtown, tied to telephone poles and street lights?
Look closer and you香蕉视频直播檒l see a photo, and a story of someone who died of a drug overdose.
They香蕉视频直播檝e been put up by the families of those who died, as a memorial and in hopes the display will spark curiosity from passersby. It香蕉视频直播檚 part of a campaign leading up to Aug. 31, the International Day of Overdose Awareness, and the ribbons are a visual acknowledgment of the crisis that香蕉视频直播檚 often hidden in secret.
A growing majority of overdose deaths happen when people are using alone, hidden at home, according to B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 Coroners Service. The number of deaths has climbed alarmingly since the province designated it a public health emergency in 2016: this May, more than five people a day died from illicit drug overdoses in B.C. In Greater Victoria alone, 65 people died this year between January and May.
Jennifer Howard香蕉视频直播檚 only son Robby died in 2016, at 24 years old just one month after the public health emergency was declared. During a stressful time in his life, someone offered him heroin and he took it. He became addicted, and tried to hide it.
香蕉视频直播淢y dream would have been that Robby said to me, 香蕉视频直播楳om I香蕉视频直播檓 struggling.香蕉视频直播� We would have gone to our family doctor who would have given a prescription for a safe regulated supply, and at the same time referred Robby to counselling support, and asked what other support do you need? Let香蕉视频直播檚 get it going. That香蕉视频直播檚 the dream.香蕉视频直播�
Instead, he died alone, with 100 per cent fentanyl in his system.
香蕉视频直播淗e told me at one point, I think I need to go to rehab,香蕉视频直播� Howard said. 香蕉视频直播淚 went out the next day and said what do we need to do? But that moment was gone.香蕉视频直播�
That moment when a substance-addicted person wants to go to rehab is fleeting, as many families can attest. Help needs to be available then and there.
香蕉视频直播淚f you don香蕉视频直播檛 have $40,000 for private rehab, you香蕉视频直播檙e on the phone desperate for help, and you香蕉视频直播檙e told there香蕉视频直播檚 a wait list. And that moment is gone,香蕉视频直播� said Howard, who works as the B.C. programs coordinator for Moms Stop the Harm.
Help also needs to be in the right place. Robby wasn香蕉视频直播檛 homeless and wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have gone to the downtown street-oriented drug checking services, his mom said, adding that there香蕉视频直播檚 a need for services that target all demographics.
香蕉视频直播淥verdose can happen to anyone. There香蕉视频直播檚 no social-economic barriers here, it could be your friend, coworker, neighbour.香蕉视频直播�
Howard香蕉视频直播檚 two main asks from the government are to radically increase safe supply, and decriminalize drug use. Some money has been put towards safe supply, but not nearly enough.
香蕉视频直播淭he pilot project in Victoria [Victoria SAFER Initiative] only serves 100 people. We香蕉视频直播檙e grateful for that, but meanwhile we香蕉视频直播檙e getting calls from families desperate to get on to a program like that. Families calling the health authority desperate for help. Their loved one says, 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檓 ready, I want to go into detox,香蕉视频直播� and they香蕉视频直播檙e told they have to wait. They香蕉视频直播檙e told they have to wait six weeks, they香蕉视频直播檙e told there香蕉视频直播檚 a six-month wait for any kind of recovery home. It香蕉视频直播檚 not acceptable.
香蕉视频直播淭he lack of support is still what香蕉视频直播檚 driving the record number of deaths, because people who are waiting for services, in their desperation, turn to toxic drug supply.香蕉视频直播�
Five years into a public health emergency, and people are still dying in record numbers. It香蕉视频直播檚 a heavy form of evidence showing that what香蕉视频直播檚 been done so far isn香蕉视频直播檛 working.
香蕉视频直播淔or all of us families who have lost loved ones, we香蕉视频直播檝e seen how efficiently a province can respond to a public health emergency, so for many of us it feels like our crisis is on the back burner. It香蕉视频直播檚 been forgotten. How can we be five years into this emergency and still see record deaths? With COVID it would be completely unacceptable, and yet here we are.香蕉视频直播�
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