In the face of the sobering statistics released last week by the B.C. CoronerB次元官网网址檚 Service reporting more than 1,400 people died of a drug overdose last year, Island Health held a naloxone training session today for new board members and the media.
Tracey Thompson, harm reduction co-ordinator for Island Health began the training by recognizing the traditional lands of the Lekwungen speaking people on whose territory the workshop was held.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important we recognize that Indigenous communities are impacted by the opioid crisis much more than the dominant culture,B次元官网网址� she said.
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Naloxone, a synthetic drug similar to morphine, blocks opiate receptors in the nervous system and can be successful in reversing an opioid overdose.
Thompson pointed to the staggering numbers of people dying alone in their homes and said itB次元官网网址檚 time to address the stigma associated with drug use. This is beyond a brain illness, she said.
B次元官网网址淲hat I really think weB次元官网网址檙e talking about is pain, whether emotional pain, or physical pain,B次元官网网址� she explained. B次元官网网址淟anguage is critical. How we talk to and how we talk about people is important. The stigma contributes to that isolation.B次元官网网址�
Those who participated in the training left with a naloxone kit of their own, with three syringes and three vials in each. To find out where you can access a free naloxone kit, visit
