International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), is held each year on Aug. 31.
IOAD is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose (toxic drug poisoning), and an opportunity to acknowledge the grief felt by those left behind.
The toxic drug public health emergency disproportionately impacts First Nations people throughout BC. As a health and wellness partner to First Nations in BC, the FNHA supports communities in raising awareness of harm reduction resources and help available to people on their healing journey.
While IOAD is an event intended to bring greater awareness to the prevention of toxic drug poisonings, the toxic drug crisis in BC impacts individuals, families and communities every day of the year. It is important to have conversations with loved ones about substances with the goal of reducing harm and keeping people alive.
Toxic drug poisoning prevention
The purpose of overdose prevention strategies and activities is to create opportunities for safer substance use with the goal of preventing people from dying of toxic drug poisoning. These include drug checking, naloxone, overdose prevention sites, among others.
Overdose prevention strategies
The BC Centre on Substance Use has a network of drug checking services across BC that provide judgement-free and stigma-free screening for harmful fentanyl and benzodiazepine levels. Substances are never confiscated while providing people with the ability to make informed decisions about the substances they use.
Fentanyl test strips are available at all Overdose Prevention Sites or Supervised Consumption Sites in BC and can be taken home and used there as well. The test strip is dipped into a mixture with a tiny amount of the drug to get results. Communities can access test strips by emailing the FNHA’s Harm Reduction Hub.
In a toxic drug poisoning event every minute is crucial to saving life. It’s important to know how to recognize the signs of a toxic drug poisoning and then act quickly to administer help. Naloxone is available in both nasal and intramuscular (needle) form. Follow the SAVE ME steps to revive somebody who is experiencing a toxic drug poisoning with a Naloxone kit.
A crucial aspect of keeping people who use substances alive is providing safer alternatives to the potentially toxic “street” supply. Evidence has shown that prescribed safer supply can lead to a reduction in death among people with concurrent alcohol and opioid use disorders. Learn about Safer Supply in our frequently asked questions document.
There are dozens of overdose prevention sites and supervised consumption sites in BC providing a hygienic environment where people can consume substances under supervision of health care workers. There is no risk of arrest or drug seizure at these sites.
Substance use and healing
A harm reduction approach means offering support in a variety of ways and meeting people where they are at in their healing journeys. The primary goal of overdose prevention is to keep people alive while respecting their journey without judgement or stigma.
Harm reduction approach and support
At the foundation of health and wellness for many First Nations people is connection to culture, land and ceremony. This is why the FNHA uses a community-centred approach to healing reflected in our Connecting to Culture video series.
“People love you; people care about you; you are not alone.”
– First Nations Peer
A harm reduction approach means offering support in a variety of ways and meeting people where they are at in their healing journeys. The primary goal of overdose prevention is to keep people alive until they are ready to reach out for support.
People with lived and living experience all have different experiences and healing journeys. Giving people space to share their stories and listening with empathy, kindness and compassion can build connection and reduce stigma.
We need to hold courageous conversations on substance use so that people who use substances know that they matter and we care about them. The FNHA’s Courageous Conversations toolkit offers people a culturally safe, trauma-informed way to begin conversations with people who use substances that meets people where they are on their wellness journeys.
“We need to stop shaming addiction. We need to have open conversations about it in our homes and our offices, in our communities.”
Healing from substance use is an individual journey for each person. Processing trauma, grief and loss can be a long and difficult task with no easy answers. If you’ve lost a loved one to toxic drugs, our Honouring Our Loved Ones webpage is a safe space to share a story to honour someone important to you.
Through the IOAD grants that FNHA offers, communities have created events, programs, and memorials to honour the memories of loved ones impacted by the toxic drug emergency. Some of the events have focused on one-day ceremonies, while others have a lasting impact, such as benches installed by the water for people to reflect on their loved ones. Grants for 2024 are closed but will reopen for 2025 next July.