3842 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Pat Roderick lost her son James last summer. 

 

“I’ve been so upset it took me months to write his obituary because it’s still so hard to believe,” Roderick said. “People think overdoses are suicide but they’re really getting killed by fentanyl.”

 

James, who died August 1, 2022, worked on the oil rigs and came home on weekends.

 

“Jamie worked hard during the week and partied hard on the weekends,” Roderick said. “My doctor keeps telling me ‘people take drugs to get high, not to die’. People think all drug users are junkies but that wasn’t Jamie. He just liked to party.”

 

Roderick said Jamie, who was 40 years old when he died, had a good job and considered his boss his brother, he had family, friends, a house and was a kind and fun-loving person.

 

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...om-says-6758078

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 March 2023 - 01:04 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

1,200 people have died from overdoses in Saskatchewan in 3 years. Who were they?

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...-they-1.6782458

[Mike K.]

Pat Roderick lost her son James last summer.

“I’ve been so upset it took me months to write his obituary because it’s still so hard to believe,” Roderick said. “People think overdoses are suicide but they’re really getting killed by fentanyl.”

James, who died August 1, 2022, worked on the oil rigs and came home on weekends.

“Jamie worked hard during the week and partied hard on the weekends,” Roderick said. “My doctor keeps telling me ‘people take drugs to get high, not to die’. People think all drug users are junkies but that wasn’t Jamie. He just liked to party.”

Roderick said Jamie, who was 40 years old when he died, had a good job and considered his boss his brother, he had family, friends, a house and was a kind and fun-loving person.




https://www.timescol...om-says-6758078

This story is as old as time. You don’t need to overdose to die young from a lifestyle where partying into your 40s is your thing.

[Nparker]

Matthew 26:52

[Victoria Watcher]

Trevor was a cocaine addict. He started working in outreach after getting sober and convinced Together We Can to open its first house in Victoria 10 years ago.

“Everybody gets tested once a week in our houses and we have a zero-tolerance policy, but even more than that, they come back, and if they’ve had a particularly tough day, they can talk to the guys in the house about it,” Trevor says.

“Some of the guys that come in here, they come from such a place of sadness and pain,” Peter adds. “To see them grow and change, it’s amazing.”

Peter has no doubt his transformation saved his life.


https://www.cheknews...-lives-1146068/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 March 2023 - 02:07 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[todd]

That’s where the half ass war on drugs gets you. Either enforce it or legalize it.

young person is 44?

Edited by todd, 27 March 2023 - 12:05 PM.

[Barrrister]

I believe the chart defined young person as aged 1 to 44. 

[todd]

I believe the chart defined young person as aged 1 to 44.

yes thank you for answering that, I believe I edited my post to reflect that at the exact same moment as you


isn’t young person 30 under

Edited by todd, 27 March 2023 - 12:28 PM.

[Barrrister]

I believe that they might be referencing people under 45 because the otherwise low natural mortality rate. Above forty five death by disease becomes more common.

[Mike K.]

In the 90s the leading cause was HIV. Crazy.

[todd]

The drug deaths on the chart appear to coincide with the purity of the drugs from that time, looks like things start to go wrong not long after 1971 when Nixon declared war


Freedom of choice. I can Google what it does and decide properly

[Mike K.]

That would have been when troops returning from Vietnam had developed bad habits.

[todd]

^ https://youtu.be/bIP7tVbZWxI

[Victoria Watcher]

On March 22, first responders received an alarming number of overdose calls from the Downtown Eastside.

 

"We saw 45 overdoses in one day," said Keith Stewart, assistant chief with the Vancouver Fire Rescue Service.

 

"It's an overwhelming number for us."

 

Stewart says the number was more than double what crews usually see in a typical day.

 

In an email to CTV News, BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) says March 22 set a new record for overdose calls province-wide. In the email, BCEHS added that March 22 was also "income-assistance payment day."

 

Officials attribute the increased call volume to an increasingly toxic and dangerous illicit drug supply.

 

"The drugs are being cut with so many different things at this time," said Stewart. "We're seeing some negative effects."

 

 

 

https://bc.ctvnews.c...mibextid=Zxz2cZ

 

 

McBain believes better access to safe drug supply for users could save lives.

 

"What would happen if it was accessible, low-barrier and people could trust where (they could) get a regulated supply, then what would happen over time is the marketplace of organized crime and the production of these illicit toxic supplies would go down," said McBain.

 

Sedgemore, however, believes the safe supply policy needs an overhaul.

 

"The safe supply is not adequate at all," said Sedgemore. "It's like, people need to top up a lot of times because it's the only option they have."

 

They say users don't get the high they require through safe supply and often purchase drugs off the black market knowing of the potential consequences, including death.

 

"(Safe supply providers) put (users) on really low doses, which doesn't help people," said Sedgemore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like the decriminalization is working.  Safe supply is not strong enough!  Of course.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 March 2023 - 08:25 AM.

[Mike K.]

Haven’t we been saying that on this forum for years?

Fentanyl was a few short years ago a substance warmed about. Now it’s legal to posses it, and use it.

[Nparker]

These "safe supply" folks have zero understanding of how addiction works. 

[todd]

These "safe supply" folks have zero understanding of how addiction works.

How does it work? I stopped watching Intervention after about the third season it was getting depressing


I will finish my 1st cup of coffee of the day and wait for your response

Edited by todd, 28 March 2023 - 08:54 AM.

[Mike K.]

Look at how much alcohol plays a role now in downtown Victoria. There has been an explosion of alcohol consumption, with a dozen micro breweries, and dozens of new establishments serving alcohol, and all serving beers that have in excess of 50%-100% of a normal beer’s alcohol volume.

There are some blocks where there are more alcohol-licensed businesses than any other type of business. Retailers are shutting, and alcohol sellers are moving in, all the time, everywhere downtown.

[todd]

Shut them down! Government just doesn’t know how addiction works, the citizens just can’t help themselves you just can’t handle yourself