More than 1,400 British Columbians have died from toxic drugs so far in 2023, putting the province on track for its deadliest year in history for overdose deaths.
Thursday marks International Overdose Awareness Day, a worldwide campaign to end overdoses, stigmas and remember those who have passed away .
There are a number of events around Vancouver for the day. In Kitsilano, Moms Stop the Harm is holding a memorial at Kits Beach starting at 11 a.m. and drug advocacy groups are holding a march in the Downtown Eastside around 12:30 p.m.
B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside said the day is a day of reflection, and that the government is taking action to try and mitigate the damages caused by the ongoing opioid crisis.
“The toxic drug crisis touches every corner of our province, affecting people from all walks of life,” she said in a release.
“We remember those we have lost, and we acknowledge the ongoing challenges faced by people who use substances and encounter mental health difficulties. These individuals are all unique human beings who had stories, dreams and hopes, and who were loved by their communities.
“Deaths from the toxic-drug crisis can be prevented. However, stigma and fear of judgment too often force individuals into the shadows, using drugs alone and avoiding life-saving resources.
“All too often, using alone can be a death sentence.”
Whiteside said drug intervention is paramount, especially for young people in the province.
“Mental health and substance-use education, prevention and service expansion for children and youth remains a priority for our government. Young people are dealing with many challenges, including the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related emergencies and the toxic-drug crisis,” Whiteside said.
“The need for early intervention is paramount. When a young person seeks help for mental-health or addiction issues, a timely and effective response can make a world of difference.
Whiteside said B.C. is expanding youth outreach programs, such as integrated child and youth teams and Foundry youth centres.
There are 35 Foundry centres open, or on the way, for judgment-free spaces that offer mental-health and addiction help for young people.
Last year, Foundry centres and Foundry Virtual BC helped more than 16,000 young people, with an average of more than 3,400 supported each month, according to the province.
At least 1,455 deaths were reported in the first seven months of 2023, the most ever recorded, according to a report from the BC Coroners Service.
Unregulated drug toxicity is now the leading cause of death in B.C. for people between the ages of 10 and 59, surpassing murders, suicides, natural diseases and accidents.
A downtown Vancouver non-profit, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, said overdoses are not being taken seriously enough.
“We’re not taking this overdose crisis seriously enough,” said Brittany Graham, executive director of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users.
“We’re losing a lot of people from a lot of different walks of life, and many from industries that we depend on … all those people should be valued for their life and right now, we’re sort of letting them leave without very much care.”
The provincial chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, said safe supply programs need to be more accessible for more people and need to be expanded upon.
“We must urge decision-makers to do more to stop these preventable deaths from occurring,” Lapointe said.
“We must not accept the continued loss of six lives each and every day.”
In its 2023 budget, the province committed $1 billion to addressing the crisis over the next three years. The province points to new investments in addiction beds and recovery care, an expanded scope of practice for nurses, and the expansion of 24/7 substance use and mental health support as examples of its action.
It is the seventh year of B.C.’s declared public health emergency for the opioid crisis. More than 12,700 people have died since the declaration in April of 2016.
— with files from Elizabeth McSheffrey.