The City of Brandon is recognizing August 31st as ‘International Toxic Drug Poisoning Awareness Day’, and there are events planned in Brandon today.
Solange Machado with the Manitoba Harm Reducation Network says it’s a day to remember those we’ve lost to toxic drug poisonings and give support to their family and friends.
She says they hope to educate people on the dangers, and will try and reduce the stigma around drug use, which Machado says begins with avoiding negative terminology. “We try to stay away from the language of like ‘addict’ and ‘junkie’ – that kind of harmful language because it is stigmatizing. They are more than their substance use and we care about them – we love them,” she says.
An awareness walk is planned for noon. It’ll begin at Princess Park and travel past City Hall to Victoria Avenue, then back to Princess Park where activities are planned throughout the day.
Moms Stop the Harm has teamed-up with the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network to organize the day which will include Naloxone training and talks with Indigenous elders about grief, but there are also fun events planned like drumming, hoola hoops, an art table and booths.
Machado says another goal for the Harm Reduction Network is to see a safe injection site established in the city. “People will bring their own supply and they can safely use alongside trained professionals who know how to respond to an overdose, but also other people who use drugs who are probably the best at responding to these kinds of things,” says Machado. “There are also new supplies and safe areas to dispose of their supplies when they’re done using, so It really helps the whole community by keeping used supplies off the streets, and also eliminates the problem of people having to use on the streets and in backlanes – really unsafe places.”
The other important feature of a safe injection site is access to recources, information and opportunities that people might not be normally connected to in order to stop using.
The day will end this evening at Dinsdale Park with a candlelight vigil beginning at 7:00 pm.
