Language Matters by Mary Fairhurst Breen
Shawna Zegarra Shawna Zegarra

Language Matters by Mary Fairhurst Breen

There is a support group in the States called The Addict’s Mom. I suppose I meet the criteria for membership - my daughter is one of thousands who have died of fentanyl poisoning during the current opioid crisis - but I would never feel comfortable joining an organisation with this name. My daughter dealt with addiction at times. Her drug use (illegal and prescribed) was enmeshed with her debilitating mental illness. I would never call her The Addict, nor would I identify myself as The Addict’s Mom. Would we disparagingly call someone The Diabetic? The Epileptic? The Lyme Diseased?


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BC Decriminalization Explained - A Historic Step
Shawna Zegarra Shawna Zegarra

BC Decriminalization Explained - A Historic Step

Decriminalization can be a confusing concept. In British Columbia, it became an exemption on January 31, 2023 for a three year test period; the only province to receive it from the Federal Government.

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Governments have the power to save lives today!
Shawna Zegarra Shawna Zegarra

Governments have the power to save lives today!

On April 14, 2016 British Columbia declared a public health emergency in response drug poisoning deaths. Since that time, the unregulated drug supply has become more toxic and more unpredictable.

And since that time, at least 11,000 people in British Columbia have died.

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Why should you sign up to our new database?
Shawna Zegarra Shawna Zegarra

Why should you sign up to our new database?

Why the change?

When we began and were a much smaller organization we collected membership information via google forms and a spreadsheet, which worked at the time, but was very manual and time-consuming, and also not as secure as our current database. We have also applied to become a charitable organization and have to meet certain requirements, including data protection. The reason for the change is to protect you while allowing us to grow and become stronger as an organization.

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Still Dying for Access
Shawna Zegarra Shawna Zegarra

Still Dying for Access

Our Alberta advocates together with their allies from Albertans for Ethical Drug Policy rallied for #safesupply at the Alberta legislature, on the opening day of the fall session. About fifty people braved frigid Alberta temperatures and stayed warm with chants, including “safe supply or we die” and “If you are not angry, you are not paying attention.”

Coinciding with the re-opening of the Alberta Legislature, this rally is a call for the government to take urgent action on the ongoing drug poisoning crisis that continues to kill more Albertans aged 25 to 39 than any other cause of death. Many of our moms carried poster-size images of the children they lost, others brought signs and photos.

To highlight the need to prevent harm and death that comes from toxic street drugs we handed out a safe regulated supply at the rally and provided a sample to all MLAs. While our sample, consisting of caffeine, would not make the best cup of coffee, we hoped it might support some critical thinking.

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