Submitted by Rural Empowered Drug Users Network
Wednesday marks five years since the declaration of the overdose crisis as a public health emergency in the province of BC. Yet 2020 brought the highest fatality rate to date, with an average of five people dying of drug poisoning each day in B.C.
Over 7,000 people have lost their lives to drug poisoning since the declaration of this emergency. COVID has demonstrated that a high level of public health response is possible in an emergency, yet people who use drugs continue to die preventable deaths in record numbers.
We call on our governments to offer a regulated, affordable supply of substances. Further, we call for the full decriminalization of the use of all drugs.
The Rural Empowered Drug Users Network (REDUN) and ANKORS will be hosting an info-booth on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the back parking lot at 101 Baker St. and a small, safe demonstration at City Hall at noon (mandatory mask-wearing and physical-distancing required).
Additionally, REDUN and ANKORS are collaborating with Moms Stop The Harm (MSTH) to bring forward a resolution to municipal governments calling upon the federal government to declare the overdose crisis a federal public health emergency. Petitions can be found in various locations around town or by visiting the info-booth on April 14.