3849 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

I witnessed the results of our severely inadequate mental health and addiction care services today (to distinguish them from our normal addiction enabling services).

 

I decided that spending a couple of hours sitting in the quiet of Stadacona Park would be just the ticket for a sunny afternoon when I had nothing else on my docket. This park really is a nice little oasis in the heart of the city. As usual, it wasn't crowded and there was a nice cross-section of citizens enjoying our sudden summer weather. The idyll was interrupted however by the presence a rather sad soul, clearly strung-out or otherwise mentally incapacitated. He was pushing/dragging a large blue recycling bin with him, muttering away to himself; half the time he was shirtless and half the time he was covered up. Nothing unusual about that. In the 2 hours I was there he wandered aimlessly and continually around the park. What caught my attention initially was his distinctive Mohawk hairstyle. His otherwise tanned skull suggested he'd been sporting this look for a while. I guess today he decided he was tired of the look, because from somewhere he pulled out a battery operated electric hair trimmer and went full-on Brittany Spears on what remained of his coiffure. I can't say I've ever seen anyone do anything quite like this in such a public space. I realize this behaviour was mostly harmless, but I kept wondering what other, perhaps more dangerous implements he might have in that big blue bin. Was he in a head space where he might unwittingly do himself or someone else harm? Mostly, I felt sorry for him, since I suspect he's getting little-to-no help for his issues, even if he has a roof over his head every night.

[VicHockeyFan]

Did you all see the two guys killed in Portland on a commuter train that intervened when some nut was screaming at two Muslim females?

[rmpeers]

I witnessed the results of our severely inadequate mental health and addiction care services today (to distinguish them from our normal addiction enabling services).

I decided that spending a couple of hours sitting in the quiet of Stadacona Park would be just the ticket for a sunny afternoon when I had nothing else on my docket. This park really is a nice little oasis in the heart of the city. As usual, it wasn't crowded and there was a nice cross-section of citizens enjoying our sudden summer weather. The idyll was interrupted however by the presence a rather sad soul, clearly strung-out or otherwise mentally incapacitated. He was pushing/dragging a large blue recycling bin with him, muttering away to himself; half the time he was shirtless and half the time he was covered up. Nothing unusual about that. In the 2 hours I was there he wandered aimlessly and continually around the park. What caught my attention initially was his distinctive Mohawk hairstyle. His otherwise tanned skull suggested he'd been sporting this look for a while. I guess today he decided he was tired of the look, because from somewhere he pulled out a battery operated electric hair trimmer and went full-on Brittany Spears on what remained of his coiffure. I can't say I've ever seen anyone do anything quite like this in such a public space. I realize this behaviour was mostly harmless, but I kept wondering what other, perhaps more dangerous implements he might have in that big blue bin. Was he in a head space where he might unwittingly do himself or someone else harm? Mostly, I felt sorry for him, since I suspect he's getting little-to-no help for his issues, even if he has a roof over his head every night.

When the safe injection facilities get clients in for some "safe" drug use, does anyone know if any consideration is ever given to whether they have mental illness issues?

If someone has mental health issues already, mightnt there be a risk that hard drug use might exacerbate them?

I get that its likely a chicken-or-egg thing but am curious if theres any oversight given in that regard.

[sdwright.vic]

I think the bigger question is why do they get a place to use safely and are then released upon society, where the can be and act not so safe?

[johnk]

A woman was found dead in Bowker Creek Saturday morning. I wonder if she might have been an addicted or severely disturbed person who fell into the creek during the night.

[Mike K.]

Yesterday afternoon Saanich crews were called to a vacant parcel north of Mayfair (I believe at the site of the upcoming Superstore) on Tolmie at Oak where a man set fire to bushes to clear the way for a homeless encampment.

[pinguu]

Yesterday afternoon Saanich crews were called to a vacant parcel north of Mayfair (I believe at the site of the upcoming Superstore) on Tolmie at Oak where a man set fire to bushes to clear the way for a homeless encampment.

 

Was that where the old bowling alley used to be? How much space did they need?

[JennKa]

I have becomed slightly desensitized to the presence of addicts in their animated state during their high. I was struck by a new level of sad today when I encountered a woman who was clearly high on crystal meth or crack. Meth face. Skinny and probably 35 looked 68. It was close to 10 am and next to her I saw a young boy of maybe 8 or 9. Not in school, watching over this woman (his Mother?) as she rifled through her purse manically and looked around in paranoia. My eyes met his quickly and right away his body language switched from helplessness to full defense mode. Those eyes though. Like a worn out old man.

Edited by JennKa, 30 May 2017 - 10:19 AM.

[Nparker]

While I absolutely applaud the addition of mental health services in the region, what an unusual combination of tenants this property will house

...the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island announced that it will conduct a $3-million fundraising campaign to create a hub for organizations offering mental-health treatment. The Victoria Youth Clinic — whose clientele can include at-risk or street-involved patients — NEED2 Suicide Prevention Education & Support, the Island Health Early Psychosis Intervention Team and other groups will call the new facility home. The site will be in revamped space at 818 Douglas Street, near Humboldt Street. There is hope for a September or October opening...

http://www.timescolo...ntre-1.20381155

[North Shore]

I have becomed slightly desensitized to the presence of addicts in their animated state during their high. I was struck by a new level of sad today when I encountered a woman who was clearly high on crystal meth or crack. Meth face. Skinny and probably 35 looked 68. It was close to 10 am and next to her I saw a young boy of maybe 8 or 9. Not in school, watching over this woman (his Mother?) as she rifled through her purse manically and looked around in paranoia. My eyes met his quickly and right away his body language switched from helplessness to full defense mode. Those eyes though. Like a worn out old man.

Time for a quick call to CFS? Temporary foster care *has* to better than that - and might lead to a rapid sobriety that would be better for all parties.

[David Bratzer]

I have becomed slightly desensitized to the presence of addicts in their animated state during their high. I was struck by a new level of sad today when I encountered a woman who was clearly high on crystal meth or crack. Meth face. Skinny and probably 35 looked 68. It was close to 10 am and next to her I saw a young boy of maybe 8 or 9. Not in school, watching over this woman (his Mother?) as she rifled through her purse manically and looked around in paranoia. My eyes met his quickly and right away his body language switched from helplessness to full defense mode. Those eyes though. Like a worn out old man.

 

Don't hesitate to call police in a situation like this involving a child. Depending on the urgency and level of danger you can phone either 911 or the non-emergency line.

[Midnightly]

I have becomed slightly desensitized to the presence of addicts in their animated state during their high. I was struck by a new level of sad today when I encountered a woman who was clearly high on crystal meth or crack. Meth face. Skinny and probably 35 looked 68. It was close to 10 am and next to her I saw a young boy of maybe 8 or 9. Not in school, watching over this woman (his Mother?) as she rifled through her purse manically and looked around in paranoia. My eyes met his quickly and right away his body language switched from helplessness to full defense mode. Those eyes though. Like a worn out old man.

 

 

this just makes me feel for the child.. children should be allowed to be children and shouldn't have to deal with adult issues like this..

[rmpeers]

Here's a thought: since some have suggested that pot shops may get some of their supply from organized crime, and since the fentanyl supply is presumably coming via organized crime, I wonder if it has ever crossed the mind of mayor and council that they might in some indirect sense be in business with some of the folks fuelling the OD crisis.

Perhaps I am way off base here so correct me if this is a crazy idea.

Edited by rmpeers, 19 June 2017 - 04:25 PM.

[Nparker]

...I wonder if it has ever crossed the mind of mayor and council that they might in some indirect sense be in business with some of the folks fuelling the OD crisis...

When you view the world through SJW-coloured glasses, a concept like this cannot be seen.

[spanky123]

Here's a thought: since some have suggested that pot shops may get some of their supply from organized crime, and since the fentanyl supply is presumably coming via organized crime, I wonder if it has ever crossed the mind of mayor and council that they might in some indirect sense be in business with some of the folks fuelling the OD crisis.

Perhaps I am way off base here so correct me if this is a crazy idea.

 

I have drawn the comparison before that the areas with the highest rates of drug overdoses are the same as those who allow illegal pot shops. It should be no surprise as Colorado determined the same thing and now has the heaviest hard drug use in the country. http://www.denverpos...n-drugs-survey/

 

It is simple, the gangs lose pot as a revenue source so they start pushing clients to harder drugs.

[LJ]

Well at least with fentanyl there is a finite number of customers that is shrinking daily.

[Nostalgic Victoria]

I have lost my patience with the DT population who make their substance-induced psychosis everyone else's problem. Too many confrontations. Thursday evening we were waiting for a bus and my kid and I were asked for a quarter by a very animated and aggressive guy with a bike. My kid and I both said, no sorry we don't have any change and my daughter even gave him a smile. We turned back around to look at the window display we had been interrupted discussing only to have this guy come right up to our backsides and point his finger into my head like a gun, saying yeah f--- you you don't DONATE **** I know your type blah blah. My daughter freaked (she's 9) and I turned around and got between them, was super angry and asked him, "What did you just say?" He backed off and then as soon as we turned around again he came at us swinging his bike. A man passing by stepped in. I'm so done with this BS. I've started carrying two types of protection because I feel vulnerable without it. Little does this guy know we donate food, toiletries and clothing through the year to Our Place. We care about the homeless population. However, I am DONE taking this **** from the aggressive active addicts in our city core.

 

If I'd been there and seen that happen, that junkie would've gone down for the count and stayed down. There's no way I'm putting up with that kind of behavior from lowlife refuse like that either.

[Nparker]

It would appear another ambulance/ set of first responders will need to be stationed semi-permanently at 844 Johnson Street soon. They are pretty much 24/7 at Our Place now.

An application for a second supervised consumption service has been made in Victoria.  Island Health, in partnership with PHS Community Services Society (PHS), submitted the application. If approved by Health Canada, the service will be the first on Vancouver Island to embed supervised consumption services into a housing facility for vulnerable, and high risk individuals. It would be open to building residents and registered guests only...

http://www.iheartrad...toria-1.2706561

Registered guests?   

Too bad treatment services to get people off drugs isn't being "embedded" here. That would be a real first. 

[VicHockeyFan]

Does the news media not do the most basic of back checking?

 

Pain drove B.C. woman and 'thousands' to street drugs after medication cut off

 

 

Desperate for relief from unbearable pain following knee surgery, Lorna Bird says she was forced to buy drugs from the Downtown Eastside streets of Vancouver when her doctor stopped prescribing an opioid in response to new standards aimed at preventing fatal overdoses.

 

"I started with heroin because I couldn't stand the pain," Bird said, recalling her fears about dying from fentanyl-laced street drugs because "everybody was croaking" and she didn't want her grandchildren dealing with that outcome.

 

Bird, 60, said the prescription opioid hydromorphone, which is five times more potent than morphine, numbed the pain after her surgery in December 2014 but her doctor tapered off the dosage before stopping it despite her continuing pain.

Experts say Bird is among thousands of Canadians facing the predicament of getting pain-numbing street drugs after being weaned or taken off opioids to which they've become addicted.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...4177594?cmp=rss

 

Sounds like a very random victim right?

 

Nope, she is a paid drug-use advocate, from an article just a month ago:

 

 

At her office in the Downtown Eastside, Lorna Bird argued that Canada’s drug laws actually hurt people a lot more than the drugs themselves

 

“I lost two daughters to the war on drugs,” she told the Georgia Straight.

The first one died of AIDS in 1994. Bird explained that at the time, Vancouver needle-exchange programs operated with a strict one-for-one requirement. That forced intravenous-drug users to share dirty needles, spreading HIV.

 

 

In 2008, another daughter died of an overdose. Bird maintained that if she had been able to purchase drugs legally, from a supply that was regulated and, therefore, clean, she would still be alive today.

 

 

 

http://www.straight....woman-president

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 25 June 2017 - 05:43 PM.

[Mike K.]

Holy moly.