Abbotsford -Drug poisoning from the unregulated supply killed over 2,500 British Columbians in 2023, the worst year yet, with fentanyl present in 86 % of deaths.
BC Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe delivered the dire report in a January 24, 2024, press conference. “Your child, brother, sister, mom dad friend or colleague did not deserve to die this way. Their death was preventable. Their loss — your loss — is our collective loss,” Lapointe said. “How many more families will join these statistics next year?”
Myths and misinformation abound about the public health emergency that has been decimating families since 2016. Reducing Overdose, Abbotsford Response (ROAR), in collaboration with the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) and Moms Stop The Harm (MSTH), host a Community Knowledge Exchange to report evidence, bust myths, and highlight available resources for the community, February 10 at the UFV Abbotsford Campus.
Space is limited and pre-registration is required at Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.ca/e/fentanyl-family-community-knowledge-exchange-tickets-792192588357 For more information visit:www.stopodabbotsford.ca
Dr. Bernie Pauly, a professor in the University of Victoria (UVic) School of Nursing, and a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research delivers the morning keynote. Dr. Maulik Baxi, Medical Health Officer with Fraser Health presents the impact of the health emergency in the province and in Abbotsford.
Panel Sessions cover the topics: Supporting Families on the Front Lines, Peers in Action, Abbotsford Community Response/Approaches, and Substance Use in Trades/Construction.
Panelists include Traci Letts, acting chair of the national board of MSTH, a network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths. Drawing from personal experiences as a mother, sister, and former partner of illicit drug users, she brings a compassionate and knowledgeable perspective to her work as an advocate for drug policy reform.
Peer advocate and executive producer/host of the award-winning Crackdown podcast Garth Mullins speaks on the life saving work of Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and other initiatives advanced by citizen groups to address the health crisis.
Daniel Snyder, host of Off the Clock: Toolbox Talk trades podcast, will discuss the podcast and his role in the Building Hope: Substance Use in the Trades video project. The video, produced by the Tides of Change Community Action Team, depicts the experiences of four men, as they share safety strategies with their colleagues.
There will be opportunities to engage in breakout sessions with speakers and panelists, explore the Community Resource Fair, and be trained in Overdose Response and Naloxone administration.
The knowledge exchange is for all community members: peers (people who use, or have used substances), family members, friends, first responders, students, academics, health professionals, service providers, politicians, businesspeople, faith communities…everyone who wants to part of building a comprehensive and compassionate community response to the toxic drug crisis.
