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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

taking aim at stigma

Business collective standing up for ‘Each+Every’ person experiencing drug use

Apr 25, 2021 | 11:41 AM

A collective of Alberta businesses is trying to change the way people see drug use.

Each+Every launched earlier this spring in Calgary, and now has close to 60 members from Lethbridge to Lacombe, and Penhold to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Leadership team member Shanika Abeysinghe, owner of Calgary-based Bessie, says step one is to reduce stigma by bringing the business community together towards a common goal.

“One of the things we quickly recognized is that as business owners, we can move things along a lot faster when we bring our voices together to draw attention to something,” says Abeysinghe.

“Our first campaign is sending stickers to our registered businesses, which let people know if they want or need help, they can go into that location. The next step is to find funding for naloxone training of business staff in these high traffic areas.”

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Naloxone data isn’t yet available for 2021, but Q3 and Q4 of 2020 were the highest ever for naloxone kits given out province-wide at 28,991 and 26,282, respectively, according to the Alberta Substance Use Surveillance System.

As of the end of 2020, there were 335 sites in Central Zone registered to administer naloxone, fourth among the five health zones. Central Zone had the third highest rate of drug poisoning deaths in the first two months of 2021.

While many business owners are reasonably frustrated with the social and economic impacts of drug use in their neighbourhoods, Abeysinghe says almost all are at least willing to have a conversation when approached by Each+Every.

“Each and every person matters. We really want to remove the stigma around this and say it’s alright for you to come here and feel like you’re a part of the community,” she says of their message to business owners. “Each and every person’s life is worth something, so if we can help as businesses by having conversations, putting stickers in windows or training workers, those are the little things we can do to build a better community and society.”

Each+Every advisor Shay Vanderschaeghe, who’s also coordinator for the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition’s Stimulus program, notes naloxone is free for the general public to obtain for emergency situations where they may need to help someone. However, proper training is essential.

“The fact that businesses are gathering to speak to this issue is huge,” says Vanderschaeghe, who formerly served as executive director at Turning Point Society and has worked in the field since the early 90s. “To find businesses that actually care and are interested in engaging and collaborating on this issue is substantial progress.”

Member businesses in central Alberta include Lacombe’s Blindman Brewing, Hogarth Malt and Burwood Distillery in Olds, and Penhold-based Red Shed Malting.

Other partner organizations include Moms Stop the Harm and Sustainable Calgary.

Each+Every leadership team members recently spoke to Edmonton city council, where they voiced support for Councillor Scott McKeen’s motion advocating to the federal government to declare the opioid crisis a national public health emergency. Council unanimously approved the motion, and the hope is that other municipal, provincial and federal leaders will heed their message as well.

In January and February this year, 238 Albertans died from drug poisoning, a slightly higher rate than last year, and substantially higher than 2016-2019.

Eleven people died in Red Deer (56 in 2020) and 25 in Central Zone (134 in 2020), each at a rate higher than any year dating back to 2016. Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat are also on pace for historic numbers.

For more information about Each+Every, and to sign up your business, visit eachandevery.org, or find the organization on social media.