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Addictions, overdoses and why SCS is needed in Red Deer

Nov 17, 2018 | 11:23 AM

It has been a whirlwind of activity for everyone at Turning Point through September, October and into November, so it has been awhile since I have been able to write this column. With so much time passed and so much activity since the last one I need to be mindful that nobody wants to read a novel here! I will touch a bit on Overdose Awareness Day and Leah’s Light Walk and Run. I will also provide a bit of an update on the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) that opened in Red Deer on October 1 and shed some light on our proposed Supervised Consumption Service (SCS).

Each year August 31 marks International Overdose Awareness Day. This year we were honored to work with Ashley Balan who planned an awareness walk and fundraiser in her sister Leah’s memory, with the proceeds coming to Turning Point. Leah’s Light raised over $10,000.00 with about 150 people coming out to walk with us! What a tremendous show of compassion and support for something that has impacted our community to its core. Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation go out to Ashley and everyone who supported the event.

The day is also a solemn reminder that we are losing people to overdose at an unprecedented rate. With 1 in 5 people using illicit substances and with contaminated drugs everywhere, getting the facts out and raising awareness may be more important than ever.

In the age of social media one would think it is a good venue to get the word out, we all need to know the risks. We should never use drugs alone, and there are options available. Everyone needs to know that fentanyl is often found in cocaine and meth, or that you can overdose from not only injecting drugs but from snorting, smoking or ingesting them as well. There are research reports and program reviews that are shared showing how different programs and treatment options are working. Families share stories of the children they lost. People share their battles of trauma and recovery. One might think everyone would be informed, in the know and working towards evidence-based solutions for something that impacts us all. This, however, is not necessarily the case. For many it seems substance use has been simplified to include just a specific group of people and that this crisis is only for them to bear.

Not too long ago there was a media story shared about the number of overdose fatalities that had occurred in our community to date. Comments on social media  included “only 37 (fatalities) I feel like we should slap a couple bricks of fentanyl down town that number could be a lot higher.”

While there are many who refute these comments I am always left wondering why anyone would ever say (or type) such hateful things. Such statements are more than just hurtful, though, they perpetuate stigma and promote indifference. By simplifying and stereotyping substance use to a specific demographic of people we add to the shame that many people who use substances feel. We prevent them from seeking out the relevant, important information and support they may need. It prevents many of the 1 in 5 from being safe.  Not all people who die from fatal overdose use daily, recreational users are also impacted. Like it or not, substance use expands across all demographics and social statuses.  I really would like to encourage people to be careful with their words; the death wishes posted on social media that some make could include friends and family.

While we can debate the character of those who use substances or the merit of the word “choice,” we can debate the legality and morality of it all what we cannot debate are the statistics. Red Deer has the highest rate of fentanyl-related deaths in Alberta per 100,000. Maintaining the status quo has only and will only exacerbate things. 

What is not debatable is the importance of offering public health services like an OPS and an SCS that will keep vulnerable people alive.

The OPS is a temporary lifesaving measure that has been put in place during a crisis while we work with our partners to establish a permanent Supervised Consumption Service (SCS).

Without a doubt the OPS has saved lives in its first few weeks of operations. However, it does have its limitations. Most significantly, the OPS does not include all of the services and supports that will be offered at the SCS. Check here to see some of the differences between an OPS and a SCS.

Our goal is to be able to offer a comprehensive SCS.  It will include not only supervised consumption but also an array of wrap around services including access to treatment, housing and mental health supports. A SCS is also an opportunity to help people see they are worth such things and provide encouragement and hope.

For every dollar spent on SCS, five dollars are saved in healthcare and emergency services costs.

Research has shown that an SCS reduces crime and public disorder – less discarded needles, less public drug use, less loitering- and no increase in drug trafficking.

SCS have also been shown to be an entry point in to treatment and other support services like mental health and housing for the people who use them.

At scsreddeer.com you will find hordes of research on SCS if you want to learn more. These are not opinion pieces; they are grounded in solid evidence and research. 

The answers to this crisis are complex. A Supervised Consumption Service will not end it nor does it mean we do not need more prevention, treatment and safety options. It is not a one or the other solution and as a community we need a variety of options in our arsenal. A lot of progress to date has occurred in these areas in an effort to respond to this crisis. To see what is happening, see this fact sheet from AHS. 

It is noteworthy that not everyone who uses substances will access an SCS.  Let’s try and be kinder, better informed and less judgmental so they all stay safe, too – 1 in 5 people and their families and friends are counting on it.

As always we welcome your questions and encourage you to be in touch with us. Turning Point can be reached at 403 346-8858. 
 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent those of rdnewsNOW or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group. Column suggestions and letters to the editor can be sent to news@rdnewsNOW.com