As Wednesday marked B.C.含羞草研究社檚 fifth anniversary of declaring the overdose crisis a public health emergency, about 50 demonstrators stood outside the legislature to say that the provinces含羞草研究社檚 action has fallen short.
Moms Stop the Harm 含羞草研究社� a group of people who have lost loved ones to overdose and advocate for life-saving drug policy and support 含羞草研究社� were calling on the province to decriminalize drug possession and provide widespread access to regulated safe supply across B.C..
Jennifer Howard, the group含羞草研究社檚 program manager, said preventable overdose deaths must end.
含羞草研究社淲e are mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, front line workers and all those who deeply care that the epidemic of deaths continues in this province with no end in sight,含羞草研究社� said Howard, who lost her son Robby to an overdose. 含羞草研究社淲e are here to say that enough is enough and to demand our government implement immediate measures to keep people safe.含羞草研究社�
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Earlier on Wednesday, the province announced they含羞草研究社檒l be requesting a federal exemption to decriminalize personal possession of drugs and $45 million in funding over three years to expand overdose prevention.
含羞草研究社淭hrough provincewide decriminalization, we can reduce the fear and shame that keep people silent about their drug use, and support people to reach out for help, life-saving supports and treatment,含羞草研究社� said Sheila Malcolmson, minister of mental health and addictions.
But speakers at the event scolded the government for, despite the five-year-old declaration, not treating the crisis like and emergency.
含羞草研究社淚f we truly treated this like an emergency, we would含羞草研究社檝e seen courage from those in power, we would含羞草研究社檝e had accessible and effective safe supply,含羞草研究社� said Corey Ranger, a registered nurse and Victoria Safer Initiative member. He recalled when they responded to 28 overdoses in one week, including seven in one day, last April.
含羞草研究社淲e weren含羞草研究社檛 able to keep everyone alive,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚t was around this time last year that I stood silently beside a grieving mom whose son died alone in a tent.含羞草研究社�
Ranger said he sees first-hand how safe supply isn含羞草研究社檛 accessible enough for those who need it.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 tired from grief, I含羞草研究社檓 exhausted from being ignored, I don含羞草研究社檛 want to be here and I don含羞草研究社檛 want to be here next year,含羞草研究社� he said.
Victoria Coun. Marianne Alto said the demonstrators含羞草研究社� demands will help 含羞草研究社渄rug use become what it is 含羞草研究社� a health issue.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淗ow many times are we going to come together with the same questions and, more importantly, the same answers,含羞草研究社� Alto said. 含羞草研究社�(The province) needs to hear these stories for what they are, they含羞草研究社檙e people who are dying, who don含羞草研究社檛 have to.含羞草研究社�
Bernie Pauly, a University of Victoria nursing professor, said the more than 7,000 British Columbians that have died due to overdose since 2016 are not just numbers, but loved ones.
含羞草研究社淲hy aren含羞草研究社檛 we willing to provide an effective safer supply of substances,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲e will end the drug war.含羞草研究社�
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Leslie McBain, Moms Stop the Harm含羞草研究社檚 co-founder who lost her son to overdose, said their demands are being heard, but their calls will only get louder until the crisis is quashed.
含羞草研究社淭he government can no longer ignore the numbers of deaths, the number of our children, our loved ones who are dead because they could not find safety in the drugs they needed,含羞草研究社� said McBain.
Niki Lucas含羞草研究社� son Dustin died in 2016 of a fentanyl overdose. She wants other parents to know that overdose can happen to anyone.
含羞草研究社淣ever in a million years did I think we含羞草研究社檇 still be here five years later,含羞草研究社� she said.
From 2016 to the end of this February, 7,072 British Columbians died due to overdose.
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