This is the first in a Peace Arch News series which takes a look how the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to B.C.含羞草研究社檚 overdose crisis, and what含羞草研究社檚 being done about it.

While an entire province mobilized overnight to protect its citizens against the spread of the novel coronavirus, a second, parallel, health crisis quietly ramped up, killing more than twice as many people as COVID-19.

In British Columbia, there were 53 deaths from COVID-19 in May. During that same month, 170 otherwise healthy people died of a drug overdose. It was the deadliest month for overdoses in the province含羞草研究社檚 history.

But the 含羞草研究社渟ilent victims含羞草研究社� of the overdose crisis is the 含羞草研究社渉uge含羞草研究社� number of patients that survive overdose, but have a permanent brain injury, added South Surrey含羞草研究社檚 Dr. Tahmeena Ali, who this year was named BC Physician of the Year.

含羞草研究社淚 feel so disheartened for those families because their loved one survives, but they含羞草研究社檙e not the same loved one and it opens up a new Pandora含羞草研究社檚 box of challenges for that loved one,含羞草研究社� Dr. Ali said. 含羞草研究社淎nd the cost to society in our healthcare system, financially, emotionally, is beyond words.含羞草研究社�

Experts say one of the contributing factors to the number of overdose deaths has been linked to the closure of the Canada-U.S. border.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 just less supply,含羞草研究社� Passmore said. 含羞草研究社淪o what that means is that the drug supply, the dealers, have been cutting their drugs with all kinds of things that are increasing mortality. There含羞草研究社檚 much more benzodiazepine, which are things like Xanax, and that doesn含羞草研究社檛 respond to Narcan.含羞草研究社�

Another aggravating factor for drug users occurred when the vast majority population was asked to isolate at home.

含羞草研究社淎s COVID-19 hit, certainly people accessing their normal services was reduced. And people were experiencing greater isolation in their lives and losing the structure of their jobs. And of course, the drug supply became much more toxic,含羞草研究社� Passmore said. 含羞草研究社淪o the numbers skyrocketed again and they含羞草研究社檙e actually worse. I mean, 170 deaths in one month is staggering.含羞草研究社�

Meanwhile, the federal government含羞草研究社檚 Canada Emergency Response Benefit of $2,000 per month has provided income to about eight million Canadians, some of whom are substance users.

Cole Izsak said he has had to kick out more than two dozen clients from his Surrey Back on Track recovery home since April 1. He said that含羞草研究社檚 due, in part, to the extra cash many of his tenants receive.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 resulting in a lot of people using and relapsing, and it含羞草研究社檚 really kind of chaotic around here because of that,含羞草研究社� Izsak told PAN.

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Passmore said he contacted PAN to not only raise awareness about the increase in the number of overdose deaths, but to highlight community supports that are available for people who use substances in South Surrey and White Rock.

Fraser Health含羞草研究社檚 Opioid Agonist Therapy clinic launched in 2018. Located at 15521 Russell Ave., the clinic offers therapy that involves taking the opioid agonists methadone or suboxone.

The drugs offered by OAT relieve withdrawal symptoms and help reduce cravings, but don含羞草研究社檛 provide a euphoric high.

The goal is to stabilize people含羞草研究社檚 lives while connecting them to supports that outline their pathway to recovery.

White Rock含羞草研究社檚 Ryan Nielson, 26, is one of the program含羞草研究社檚 success stories.

Nielson, who used opioids daily for six years, recently kicked the addiction with the help of drugs provided to him by the OAT clinic.

含羞草研究社淔rom my experience, when you含羞草研究社檙e getting to that withdrawal state, it含羞草研究社檚 pretty hard to think about anything else but your next fix,含羞草研究社� Nielson said.

Nielson, however, didn含羞草研究社檛 describe the crisis as an overdose problem, but rather a drug-poisoning problem.

含羞草研究社淧eople don含羞草研究社檛 say, 含羞草研究社極K, today I含羞草研究社檓 going to take a whole bunch of whatever.含羞草研究社� It含羞草研究社檚 not really like that. They含羞草研究社檙e just taking the regular amount and it happens to be cut,含羞草研究社� Nielson said.

A 含羞草研究社淩isk Mitigation in the Context of Dual Public Health Emergencies含羞草研究社� document from the province and BC Centre on Substance Use predicted a spike in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The document provides clinical guidance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and relies on clinical judgment of those writing prescriptions.

The document recommends replacing both legal and illicit drugs with prescribed or regulated substances. For the first time, physicians are able to prescribe drug replacements that they otherwise weren含羞草研究社檛 allowed to prescribe.

含羞草研究社淓ven stimulant medications. So if someone含羞草研究社檚 got a dependence on something like crystal meth or crack, (doctors) can provide other, safer stimulants,含羞草研究社� Passmore said.

A member of the White Rock community action team Tides of Change, Passmore said, is leading the charge to fight for more tele-health services so that drug users don含羞草研究社檛 need to go to their general physician to ask for a prescription.

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含羞草研究社淎 lot of folks who use substances are still very ashamed of talking to their own GPs about stuff like this,含羞草研究社� Passmore said. 含羞草研究社淏ecause not all GPs are comfortable with this topic, and maybe some have views about substance use that maybe are less-than-compassionate and certainly might not feel comfortable prescribing things that, for most of their career, they have been told is bad practice.含羞草研究社�

Another life-saving, harm-reduction tool that came out of the pandemic was invented by White Rock resident Jeff Hardy.

Hardy created an app, which is intended to provide something of a safety net for people who choose to use alone.

Hardy explained that after entering contact information and location into the app, a person can start the application before they含羞草研究社檙e about to use a drug.

The app kick-starts a one-minute timer. With 10 seconds left, an alarm will sound, becoming progressively louder. If the user doesn含羞草研究社檛 press the red 含羞草研究社榮top含羞草研究社� button, EHS will be alerted 含羞草研究社� but police won含羞草研究社檛 be.

含羞草研究社淭his is not a tool to give information to the police, or anybody who含羞草研究社檚 going to try and force the law on you,含羞草研究社� Hardy said.

Passmore said the app is a Band-Aid solution to a bigger problem, which is the question of why so many British Columbians are turning to substances to find temporary relief or pleasure.

含羞草研究社淲hy is this happening on such a high level, and we含羞草研究社檙e losing our sons, daughters, siblings, coworkers at such a rate?含羞草研究社� Passmore asked.

Part 2 of this series will take a deeper look at the connection between people who suffered adverse childhood experiences and a reliance on drugs to ease their pain.