Four agencies working with those at risk celebrate International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31.
The corner of Pandora Avenue and Quadra Street provide the backdrop for Resource and Community Service Society, AIDS Vancouver Island, the Society of Living Illicit Drug Users and Peers Victoria Resource Society who partnered to mark the day hoping to build awareness, avenues to prevent overdoses, decrease risk and remember those who have died from illicit drug use.
“Society tends to think of illicit drug users as disposable,” said Karen Dennis, executive director of VARCS.
“We are all people; we all have family and friends who care, and there are things we can do to prevent the deaths of our loved ones and community members.”
There are is no fixed-site needle exchange or supervised consumption services in Greater Victoria.
“Overdose impacts us all,” says Marion Little, executive director of Peers Victoria Resource Society.
“We need to have the resources in place to make sure that people who use substances have access to information and support to reduce their risk.”
The celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. at the corner of Pandora Avenue and Quadra Street.