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Addiction and mental illness in Victoria


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#1321 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 25 June 2021 - 04:31 PM

painful efforts not to gender anyone here:


https://www.vicnews....d-friends-life/

#1322 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 26 June 2021 - 04:45 PM

Hundreds of Calgarians rallied in support of Alberta's safe consumption sites (SCS) Saturday as a deadly stretch of fatal overdoses continues in the province.

About 200 people waved signs and listened to speeches at Central Memorial Park, which is across the road from the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre and the Safeworks SCS.

Trevor Fedan took the mic to speak about the impact Safeworks has had on his life.

"It's not a want," Fedan told CTV News. "As users, we need a place like that with supportive staff. A place where we're not going to be judged. At Safeworks, if you buy into the program, the world is your oyster."

_________

Press secretary Justin Marshall went on to say, "we understand that some wish to adopt a Vancouver-style social chaos approach, including flooding the streets with taxpayer-funded oxy-contin style narcotics, but we firmly reject that view.”


https://calgary.ctvn...-site-1.5487227

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 June 2021 - 04:46 PM.


#1323 Matt R.

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Posted 26 June 2021 - 10:47 PM

Weren’t overdose deaths down in BC during covid?

Matt.

#1324 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 29 June 2021 - 01:00 PM

BC Coroners Service reporting released on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, shows at least 160 lives were lost in the province as a result of suspected illicit drug toxicity in May.

“More than five years into this public health emergency, we continue to lose our loved ones, friends and neighbours at an almost unimaginable rate,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, BC Coroners Service. “There is no way to measure the catastrophic impact that the loss of these lives have had on every community in our province. Today, I grieve with all those who have lost someone close to them as a result of this crisis.”

An average of 5.2 lives were lost to illicit drugs every day in May. The 160 deaths are the second-most ever recorded in the month after May 2020 (177 deaths). The 851 lives lost between January and May are the most ever reported in the first five months of a calendar year, surpassing the 704 deaths reported in January-May 2017 by almost 21%.



https://news.gov.bc....PSSG0058-001257



continuing to set all kinds of records.

congrats Bonnie Henry. what a super job you are doing.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 June 2021 - 01:05 PM.

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#1325 On the Level

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Posted 29 June 2021 - 05:05 PM

continuing to set all kinds of records.

congrats Bonnie Henry. what a super job you are doing.

 

I don't really blame Bonnie Henry.   This is decades in the making.

 

It was a common belief that if you do hard core drugs, there is a very good chance it will make your life worse, where dying is a sad but potential outcome.  That is a reasonable expectation.  I am not saying that the war on drugs was the answer, nor am I saying that a single dose of rehab will help.  I also know that some can take opioids for decades and still function.  It's complicated but the approach that causes the least amount of future harm isn't.

 

The multinational monetization of opioids has contributed to the message that the risk can be managed....which it cannot be.  Followed up by fentanyl. 

 

If you are trying to save everyone from themselves that is addicted, then the best way to put them in a grave is through being overly compassionate.   If you are going to get more people onto opioids and into a grave, then through compassion tell everyone it is OK....it's normal. 

 

Opioids are not OK.  Even in prescribed medical situations, they are extremely risky.  


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#1326 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 29 June 2021 - 05:10 PM

it’s probably telling the the most permissive and normalising society in the country ends up with the most deaths.

but we are continually bombarded with messaging that harm reduction is working.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 June 2021 - 05:11 PM.

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#1327 A Girl is No one

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Posted 29 June 2021 - 05:31 PM

BC Coroners Service reporting released on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, shows at least 160 lives were lost in the province as a result of suspected illicit drug toxicity in May.

“More than five years into this public health emergency, we continue to lose our loved ones, friends and neighbours at an almost unimaginable rate,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, BC Coroners Service. “There is no way to measure the catastrophic impact that the loss of these lives have had on every community in our province. Today, I grieve with all those who have lost someone close to them as a result of this crisis.”

An average of 5.2 lives were lost to illicit drugs every day in May. The 160 deaths are the second-most ever recorded in the month after May 2020 (177 deaths). The 851 lives lost between January and May are the most ever reported in the first five months of a calendar year, surpassing the 704 deaths reported in January-May 2017 by almost 21%.



https://news.gov.bc....PSSG0058-001257



continuing to set all kinds of records.

congrats Bonnie Henry. what a super job you are doing.

I know what we have to do… give the addicts more money to spend on drugs and continue to encourage them to persist in that lifestyle that is bound to kill them… whether physically or mentally (notice that no one ever mentions or tries to count how many people’s lives have been taken away from them by continued drug abuse, surviving OD’s and brain damage aka the zombies).

Edited by A Girl is No one, 29 June 2021 - 05:33 PM.

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#1328 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 14 July 2021 - 02:19 PM

Island Health issued an overdose advisory for Greater Victoria on July 13 as overdoses are increasing in the area.

People using opioids or stimulants in the region are at an increased risk from injection and inhalation, the health authority said.

If a person overdoses, Island Health said to call 911, stay with them and administer naloxone. It advises people who use substances to take a small amount first to see how it feels and to carry naloxone. Mixing other substances such as alcohol or prescription drugs also increases the risk of overdose.

People should stagger their use with a friend, but those who use alone should make sure a friend knows they’re using and have the friend check on them. Island Health also recommends downloading the Lifeguard App.

https://www.vicnews....ter-victoria-2/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 July 2021 - 02:19 PM.


#1329 Nparker

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Posted 14 July 2021 - 02:20 PM

Glad to see no one is advocating terrible things like abstinence or getting clean.


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#1330 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 14 July 2021 - 02:22 PM

or even temporarily backing off during the overdose threat.

I am surprised they even said adding other drugs or alcohol presented increased potential for harm. but they stopped short of suggesting not using those too.

#1331 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 15 July 2021 - 01:49 PM

here is an article that does not even mention heroin or fentanyl or even pain killers even once.



https://www.cheknews...n-first-838042/


takes a certain wordsmith to avoid all those terms in one article.



The Province of B.C. has announced that a new policy is being phased in, which will expand access to prescribed safer drug supply.

According to the B.C. government, $22.6 million will be provided to health authorities over the next three years in order to “lay the foundation” for this initiative.

The government says the money will be spent on the planning, phased implementation, monitoring and evaluation of prescribed safer supply services.

“At the start of the pandemic, B.C. provided access to some prescribed safer supply medications to save lives from overdose and protect people from COVID-19,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Building on what we’ve learned, we’re expanding access to prescribed safer supply”

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 July 2021 - 01:50 PM.


#1332 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 15 July 2021 - 01:51 PM

“At the start of the pandemic, B.C. provided access to some prescribed safer supply medications to save lives from overdose and protect people from COVID-19,”

- and overdose deaths skyrocketed in response.
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#1333 Midnightly

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Posted 15 July 2021 - 07:44 PM

i'd rather see that 22.6million invested in mental health and addictions care.... open up more detox beds, more facilities to help people get off the drugs, and treat the reasons why they become addicted to the drugs before they get addicted to the drugs...


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#1334 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 16 July 2021 - 05:36 AM

the plan is more fentanyl. I am sure there it’s lots of good intention here. but it seems the plan is to get 60,000 people into this fentanyl program. 10x the current program. I am not sure it’s good to have some many zombies walking around and being quite uncontributing citizens. because i actually think there is opportunity for everyone to contribute. but you can’t expect people to do that that are kept on chemicals every day.



People who have been clinically assessed will have access to opioid alternatives, including fentanyl patches already being used in trial projects, as well as fentanyl (Fentora) tablets and expanded use of hydromorphone.

___________


Some physicians in Victoria — including a group based at Cool Aid — are prescribing alternatives to toxic illicit drugs under B.C. guidance issued last year as part of a temporary safe supply program in the early days of the pandemic, due to the greater risk of overdose by people using drugs while isolating.

Expanding access to safer drugs helps people understand they can get off drugs if they want to get help, said Staples. “It’s also a way to de-stigmatize ­addiction and substance use ­disorders and get the [people who use drugs] into the presence of clinicians who can at least make an attempt to educate them and get them going in the right ­direction.”


https://www.timescol...rugs-1.24342780

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 July 2021 - 05:44 AM.


#1335 Nparker

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Posted 16 July 2021 - 05:37 AM

Perpetual addiction - on the taxpayer's dime.  :whyme:


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#1336 LJ

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Posted 16 July 2021 - 07:39 PM

the plan is more fentanyl. I am sure there it’s lots of good intention here. but it seems the plan is to get 60,000 people into this fentanyl program. 10x the current program. I am not sure it’s good to have some many zombies walking around and being quite uncontributing citizens. because i actually think there is opportunity for everyone to contribute. but you can’t expect people to do that that are kept on chemicals every day.



People who have been clinically assessed will have access to opioid alternatives, including fentanyl patches already being used in trial projects, as well as fentanyl (Fentora) tablets and expanded use of hydromorphone.

___________


Some physicians in Victoria — including a group based at Cool Aid — are prescribing alternatives to toxic illicit drugs under B.C. guidance issued last year as part of a temporary safe supply program in the early days of the pandemic, due to the greater risk of overdose by people using drugs while isolating.

Expanding access to safer drugs helps people understand they can get off drugs if they want to get help, said Staples. “It’s also a way to de-stigmatize ­addiction and substance use ­disorders and get the [people who use drugs] into the presence of clinicians who can at least make an attempt to educate them and get them going in the right ­direction.”


https://www.timescol...rugs-1.24342780

 

Could it be any more de-stigmatized than it now is?  

 

Stigmatizing smokers - good, stigmatizing drug users - bad.


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Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#1337 UDeMan

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Posted 16 July 2021 - 08:02 PM

BC is the only province to do this.

I can imagine all addicts across the country are now headed west for the free drugs.  

 

by next year, I can imagine more deaths.



#1338 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 16 July 2021 - 09:49 PM

bc is probably the only large jurisdiction in the world to try something this ambitious.

#1339 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 18 July 2021 - 09:12 AM

here is a serious question. how do ambulance paramedics - or others that have training and or the naloxone kit - know when they come across an unconscious person (alone) to use the procedure?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 July 2021 - 09:12 AM.


#1340 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 27 July 2021 - 04:03 PM

Vancouver councilwoman hands out free heroin, meth, and cocaine to drug addicts outside police department

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