Vancouver vigil to honour lives lost to B.C.’s toxic drug crisis
Posted August 26, 2022 12:06 pm.
Last Updated August 28, 2022 4:00 pm.
British Columbians who have lost loved ones to the illicit drug crisis are taking a stand.
A candlelight vigil is being held outside the Vancouver Art Gallery Friday with simulated coffins to highlight the continued struggle in the public health emergency.
Each coffin will represent a year and include a number representing the number of deaths recorded that year.
Deb Bailey, the Vancouver lead with Moms Stop the Harm, says you never really heal after losing a loved one.
“Behind every number there’s a face and a story and a family. We just want to draw attention to that,” she told CityNews.
Bailey, who lost her daughter to B.C.’s toxic drug supply in 2015, believes that standing in unity is an important part in living with the grief.
“It’s really hard to use the word ‘healing,’ because nothing will heal us, there’s a chunk missing for sure and that’s the way it’s going to stay. But we find that being together, supporting each other, seeing other loved ones who are going through this is helpful to us to remind us that we’re not alone in our sorrow and in our grief. That has been very helpful and one of the primary reasons that Moms Stop the Harm is sadly growing so much — people are looking for support.”
She says very little has changed in the province’s healthcare system to improve the situation since then.
Bailey feels doctors are still wary of treating people with addiction issues because of stigma.
“We just find that people are really impacted by the stories that we can tell about our loved ones,” Bailey explained.
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“It’s a bit frustrating. I spoke to a government committee not too long ago and told them my daughter’s story and I said the really sad thing is that this happened over six years ago. We knew what killed her then and six years later we still know what’s killing people but we’ve done very little about the number of deaths. So we really need to tackle that issue.”
Bailey would like to see more done to “clean up the drug stream,” though she admits there’s no one answer to solve the issue.
“But certainly having a safe, regulated supply would help, rather than forcing people to hit the streets because they can’t help it because they’re addicted.”
The year Bailey lost her daughter, 529 people died in the province as a result of the illicit drug supply. Thousands of deaths were recorded in 2021.
Earlier this month, the BC Coroners Service revealed that more than 10,000 people had died since 2016, when the toxic drug crisis was declared a public health emergency in B.C.
Last month, B.C.’s chief coroner told CityNews the province was on track to set a new record in 2022 when it comes to drug deaths. She said she wasn’t convinced things would get better anytime soon.
“I am frustrated. It is sad. It is tremendously sad that six people die in this province every day from toxic drugs,” Lisa Lapointe said in mid July.
In May, B.C. became the first province to be granted an exemption to federal drug laws in order to decriminalize small amounts of certain substances for personal possession.
The exemption will apply to all adults over the age of 18 within B.C. Personal possession only up to a cumulative amount of 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA are included in this.
The exemption period is set to begin Jan. 31, 2023 and will be in place for three years. The exemption may be revoked or replaced by another, Health Canada has said.
During this period, there will be no arrests or charges against people who are found to have 2.5 grams or less of the substances listed above for personal use. The drugs will also not be seized.
Loved ones of those who lost their lives to the drug crisis will meet at Robson and Hornby streets for the memorial at 7 p.m.
With files from Robyn Crawford
