Image Credit: Addiction Matters Kamloops/Facebook

By Adam Donnelly

ADDICTION MATTERS KAMLOOPS

Addiction Matters Kamloops introduces The Pledge to end the stigma surrounding drug use

Jul 16, 2020 | 5:17 PM

KAMLOOPS — The rising numbers of deaths connected to illicit drug toxicity are concerning for many in our community who are working to help reduce the harm illicit drugs cause — including one group working to end the stigma around drug use and make it easier for those seeking a path to recovery.

“Oh, you’re the Mom who lost your child to an overdose.”

Sandra Tully knows all too well the damage words can cause when it comes to substance use. In 2016 her son Ryan Pinneo died as a result of substance use.

“Ryan really struggled with the stigma part of it,” Tully recounts. “He understood how society viewed people who used substances. Even after his passing, there was still a stigma attached to it.”

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That stigma is an issue a group of concerned citizens in Kamloops is trying to tackle. Addiction Matters Kamloops has created The Pledge. It’s a campaign aimed at changing the way we talk about people who use drugs.

“If we can change the language society uses, we can change people’s perceptions and the ability for people to reach out without any stigma attached to it,” Tully says.

Dr. Carol Fenton is a Medical Health Officer with Interior Health. She agrees that the language that people use to talk about drug use can make it difficult for the people who use substances to seek help.

“The term ‘addict’ is quite stigmatizing, so we prefer to say, ‘people who use drugs,’” Dr. Fenton explains. “A lot of people use drugs for good reasons. They’re coping with pain or they have from the medical condition that is addiction.”

Addiction Matters visited Kamloops City Council on Tuesday (July 14) to help spread awareness of The Pledge and the importance of language concerning stigma.

“It was a pretty emotional presentation and I think around the council table we all have been affected by the overdose crisis,” Councillor Kathy Sinclair says. “You know, family, friends, people in the community.”

Sinclair took The Pledge and believes if enough people do the same, it could change the way we view people who use drugs.

“If we accept these people for who they are and they’re able to come forward and share their struggles with us, then I think it can do a lot. It can save lives,” Sinclair suggests.

Saving lives is what Sandra Tully hopes The Pledge can help accomplish.

“If we want people to reach out and get help, they have to feel safe in doing so,” Tully says. “That’s where language comes in.”

To take The Pledge, you can visit www.addictionmatters.ca and learn about using people-first language around drug use. After all, it’s important to remember people who use drugs are still people.