Guy Felicella headlines speakers at community dialogue in Nanaimo
Check out this podcast with Guy from Peoples First Radio https://vancouverislandmentalhealthsociety.org/podcast/guy-felicella-headlines-speakers-at-community-dialogue-in-nanaimo
War On Drugs
The first goal of drug overdoses policy: Keep people alive
From The Globe and Mail In late March, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer published his annual report to the province’s legislature. Its focus was drugs, from tobacco to opioids. One line in the report stood out: “When thousands of people are dying from preventable opioid overdoses each year, the system must […]
Mom’s Stop The Harm Event Sunday April 14th
In commemoration of the 8th anniversary of the declaration of the Public Health Emergency of toxic drug poisonings, Mom’s Stop The Harm invites you to gather at Memorial Plaza on Sunday April 14th from 11:30 – 2:30 PM. Alberni Hwy & Memorial Avenue, Parksville BC Free Naloxone training and kits by OCAT […]
Police drug seizures do more harm than good, B.C. experts say
From Vancouver City News As police in B.C. and across Canada show off their recent drug busts and highlight efforts to take illicit substances off the black market, experts in public health and harm reduction explain these kinds of seizures do more harm than good. There’s a growing body of […]
No evidence of widespread diversion of BC’s safe supply, say RCMP and Solicitor General
From the Vancouver Sun Farnworth has spoken to the RCMP’s commanding officer about the seizure in Prince George and was told that the idea that there is widespread diversion is “simply not true.” There is no evidence of widespread diversion of safe-supply drugs, British Columbia’s solicitor general and the RCMP […]
BC’s Poisoned Drug Crisis – What You Need To Know
From the Port Alberni CAT The Grim Reality The poisoned drug crisis has reached epidemic proportions that claim lives daily. In Canada alone, an average of 22 people die each day from toxic street drugs. In BC, 2023 delivered more than 7 deaths a day. This year, In January another 198 […]
Black Balloon Day in Parksville remembers people lost to toxic drugs
From the PQB News Risebridge executive director says event first of its kind in Parksville area Kevin Forsyth Mar 7, 2024 Community members who have died due to the toxic drug crisis were remembered in Parksville on March 6, Black Balloon Day. Volunteers tied up black balloons, and set out […]
The use of diverted pharmaceutical opioids is associated with reduced risk of fentanyl exposure among people using unregulated drugs in Vancouver, Canada
From Science Direct – HIghlight Read the full peer reviewed study of safe supply Abstract Background Although non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioids (POs) is associated with a number of risks, in the context of the opioid-overdose crisis, it may have the secondary benefit of decreasing the risk of exposure to […]
Everyone I Know And Love Is Dead
From The Tyee – In May, 176 more people were killed by toxic drugs in BC. The number of people dying each day due to a toxic drug supply decreased slightly in May compared to April, with 5.7 deaths per day compared to 7.3 deaths per day, respectively. So far […]
Addiction treatment centre in Parksville unanimously approved
From Nanaimo News Now – PARKSVILLE — One final vote signaled the end of debate for a much-discussed addiction treatment centre on the edge of Parksville’s downtown. Council gave its unanimous blessing for a 19 bed Island Health owned and operated residential facility to be staffed 24-hours a day at […]