Longterm recovery improvements and humanization of people who use drugs needed to combat overdose crisis

“May 2020 was our worst month ever,” notes Roger Parsonage, Interior Health’s executive director of mental health and substance use.

There isn’t one singular cause, but Parsonage says the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the overdose crisis. Isolation, stress, reduced services, and the flow of illicit drugs interrupted by the border closure have all had a part to play in recent overdose deaths.

“It was likely a combination of factors, but the underlying key factor is that the illicit drug supply continues to be toxic and poisonous.”

ASK Wellness executive director Bob Hughes says the combination of the existing opioid emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts, and the funding from CERB provided to people at risk of using again has been a perfect storm for overdose increases.

“I think these are the factors that have led to such a distressing and horrendous state of affairs where we’re on track to exceed our already troublesome fatality rate with the overdose crisis.”

More than half of the 170 fatalities in May occurred in private homes, while no deaths were recorded at supervised consumption or overdose prevention sites. As to why someone would use alone, Hughes notes this can be related to stigma.

“There’s so much shame and just a sense of isolation related to addiction,” he says. “And I mean, if you follow some of the social media posts around even this most recent data, and just the level of condemnation from the public — it’s just so sad and discouraging.”

Agencies like ASK Wellness are working to educate the public about what addiction is and reshape attitudes towards those who are living with it. Hughes says many people still view those who use drugs as criminals, or part of the street-entrenched population, when they could very well be someone who has a stable job, a home, and a family.

“We have such pride in Kamloops about how we care for one another, and yet in social media, people just feel free to make these most horrendous comments about people who use drugs,” says Hughes.

“So I really hope that we can double down on education efforts across the province to talk about the fact that these are people who have jobs, these are people who are members of our community that may be struggling with addiction, struggling with the sense of isolation related to drug use.”

Naloxone kits, supervised spaces, emergency call apps, and the messaging around not using drugs alone can save lives, but Hughes says long term results will need long term solutions.

“In terms of providing adequate recovery and treatment options for people with addictions, and I think that’s something that I’m really pushing for regionally for those who have severe addictions.”

Interior Health recently introduced a pilot project for addiction treatment in Kamloops. Parsonage says it’s a new tablet of the prescription alternatives that manage the cravings.

“We’re continuing to pursue those kinds of approaches, as well as to make sure that our substance use services are accessible to people that need them, and that we’re having those conversations with all of our clients so that they feel welcome to come in, and when they’re ready to seek help, we’re ready to provide it.”

Short term, Parsonage says the hope is with the expansion of social bubbles in June, fewer people will use drugs alone.

“I hope when we see June numbers and we get into the summer that we’ll start to see a levelling off, but unfortunately only time will tell.”

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Longterm recovery improvements and humanization of people who use drugs needed to combat overdose crisis

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