(Vancouver) Eight years to the day after British Columbia declared a public health emergency, Premier David Eby said the toxic drug crisis has had a “catastrophic impact” on families and communities.
Mr. Eby said in a statement that toxic drug-related deaths have taken a toll on the friends and loved ones of those lost, as well as front-line workers who face the ongoing damage caused by addiction. and drug-related deaths.
He says the situation needs to be recognized as a “health crisis” as his government attempts to build and improve the province’s mental health and addictions treatment system.
The provincial health officer, DD Bonnie Henry, said in a statement released Sunday that the public health emergency has strained the province in “unprecedented ways.”
The DD Henry says drug users come from “all walks of life,” often dealing with trauma, and those trying to break free from addiction must go through a healing process that is not “linear” or not based on total abstinence.
The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users said in a statement that the anniversary comes as the crisis “has transformed into a toxic political issue,” and that it and other drug groups will hold a town hall on Sunday. to address the public health emergency.