Joanne Moore and Ed Patterson are lifelong Comox Valley residents.
Joanne is a mother of six, and has 12 grandchildren.
Ed is a fourth-generation Cumberlander.
They are also addicts.
Joanne and Ed belong to a newly-formed group called Addicts and Allies Humanizing Addiction (AAHA).
They want people to understand that, although they are battling drug addiction, they can still contribute to society in a positive manner.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 what their group is all about.
B次元官网网址淲e are a local group of addicts who focus on harm reduction education, overdose prevention, and community clean-ups in an effort to humanize people who use substances and reduce stigma related to addiction,B次元官网网址� said Ed. B次元官网网址淲e offer naloxone training, harm reduction education, and a culture of acceptance regardless of an individualB次元官网网址檚 life circumstances.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭here are nine of us in the group. We are all either in rehab, or still using,B次元官网网址� said Joanne. B次元官网网址淲e all have families and friends that we have lost to the opioid crisis.B次元官网网址�
AAHA has hosted naloxone training sessions, and harm reduction education in both the Comox Valley and Campbell River. It operates under the guidance of AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI). The AAHA members spent Friday afternoon picking up biohazardous materials (i.e. used syringes) that have been left in the downtown parks, and other areas addicts are known to frequent, in Courtenay.
B次元官网网址淭oday we are doing a community clean-up in and around Simms Park, Vanier, the swimming pool, and along the trails near the curling rink,B次元官网网址� said Moore.
B次元官网网址淲e are trying to make the area safer for people, their children, their dogs,B次元官网网址� said Patterson. B次元官网网址淎ll this stuff gets left behind by irresponsible addicts, and because we are addicts ourselves, we are taking it upon ourselves to go clean those things up.B次元官网网址�
| These disposal receptacles contain approximately 110 used syringes, and other drug paraphernalia picked up by AAHA members during a community clean-up Friday, July 5. Photo submitted. |
FridayB次元官网网址檚 clean-up netted more than 100 used syringes, as well as other discarded paraphernalia.
When they arenB次元官网网址檛 doing such community clean-ups, they are working on the front line of the opioid crisis - addicts as outreach workers, helping other addicts stay as safe as possible.
The members are all trained in harm reduction. They visit many of what Patterson calls the B次元官网网址渢rap housesB次元官网网址� in the Comox Valley - houses where addicts go, primarily to get high, or engage in other nefarious activities - and they see the crisis at its very core.
B次元官网网址淲e go to the houses where people are ODing,B次元官网网址� said Patterson. B次元官网网址淭he stuff we see youB次元官网网址檒l never hear about, because it isnB次元官网网址檛 reported, so there are no stats. The hospitals, Island Health, they donB次元官网网址檛 get the real stats. The one house I was at last month, there were like 20 overdoses, but nobody died, so thereB次元官网网址檚 20 overdoses that go unreported.B次元官网网址�
RELATED: Fatal overdoses mount on Vancouver Island
Patterson said he knows of 18 to 20 such B次元官网网址渢rap housesB次元官网网址� in the Comox Valley.
He said he has reversed 23 overdoses with naloxone. Moore does not keep track, but estimates she has saved that many addicts, if not more.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lots,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淸I saved a] 12-year-old prostitute up by the train tracks. ThatB次元官网网址檚 sad. ThatB次元官网网址檚 really, really sad.B次元官网网址�
They both said that while naloxone is saving lives, it is also becoming part of the problem.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 an over-abundance of naloxone out there - people think they can use as much as they want and as long as thereB次元官网网址檚 naloxone aroundB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址榮omebody will save me,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Patterson.
B次元官网网址淪o thereB次元官网网址檚 a good and a bad side to [naloxone],B次元官网网址� said Moore.
If you or someone you know is interested in naloxone training and/or harm reduction education, you can call the AAHA hotline (778-992-0771) to leave a message for the AAHA group. If someone is in need of an outreach worker, they are urged to call the number as well.
B次元官网网址淲e are out there, the nine of us, we all carry clean supplies at all times, we will respond, stay with you if you are using, so you arenB次元官网网址檛 alone. We all carry naloxone kits at all times,B次元官网网址� said Moore. B次元官网网址淲e want to keep our community as safe as possible, and with us being out there, itB次元官网网址檚 getting a little safer every day.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of these people donB次元官网网址檛 feel they have anybody. But talking to somebody thatB次元官网网址檚 right on the same level as them, which is all of us [in AAHA], it makes it so much easier. I can go right into the houses and not be a threat to themB次元官网网址� they know I am not bringing in the cops.B次元官网网址�
The AAHA group will be at summer events including an education table at the Courtenay Wednesday Night Markets on July 31 and Aug. 28 from 4-8 p.m.
terry.farrell@blackpress.ca
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