Overdose deaths are impacting Waterloo region, even if people try to ignore them, advocate says

People in Waterloo region may not know people dying from opioid overdoses,but that doesn't mean they and the community as a whole aren't impacted, says Joanna Han.

Han, the co-ordinator of the Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy, says the region has seen a slight uptick in the number of overdose deaths this year.

"I think that peoplewho work within our sectorof harm reduction ... may understand that this is a problem in our community. Weare seeing overdose deaths and people are impacted by it," Han said.

"But I think maybe for the general public, they may feel like it's not in our community, maybe because they don't see it."

At the beginning of August there had been 54 overdose deaths in the region compared to 47 for the same time period in 2019.

"I wouldn't say that the problem is worse than last year yet because we don't have the total number for 2020, but there are still a few months to go," Han said. "If we are on the same trajectory that we are on right now, we will likely surpass the 2019 total of 63 overdose deaths."

'I can't keep quiet'

Guelph, too, has seen an increase in overdose deaths this year. There have been 14 deaths this year in Guelph, compared to seven in all of 2019.

Adrienne Crowder, manager of the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy, says people ignore the opioid crisis, but nearly everyone has been impacted by a person with an addiction of some kind.

"I think, who in our world doesn't know somebody who is currently or has struggled with a substance, whether it's cannabis, alcohol, opioids, benzo sleeping pills who doesn't know someone who hasn't had that challenge," she said.

The drug strategy group is part of the Municipal Drug Strategy Co-ordinators Network of Ontario, which is advocating to the provincial and federal governments for a safe supply for people who use drugs. It would mean people would get prescriptions for opioids that are a certain dose and the quality is known, rather than using drugs off the streets that can be laced with other drugs and substances, which can have deadly effects.

"I can't keep quiet. To sit and do nothing is impossible," Crowder said.

Events to markOverdose Awareness Day

Monday is International Overdose Awareness Day, a day meant to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death.

There are several events to mark the day. In Waterloo region on Monday, there will be events held at local shelters for the people who go there. It's a chance for people "to have their grief acknowledged and really remember loved ones they have lost from overdose," Han says.

Then on Wednesday afternoon, there will be a panel discussion online about what the community is doing to combat overdoses and how organizations are working together.

In Guelph, there will be gathering at St. George's Square in the downtown core at noon on Monday to honour the people who have died recently from overdoses.

Han says she'd like to see people mark the day by having a real conversation about the problems facing the region.

"I think we really need to talk about the stigma that some of these people face and the stigma around overdose and drug use in general," she said. "Overdose affects everyone. They can happen to anyone. And they are happening in Waterloo region as well right now."