Executive director Brittany Graham of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users reflects on the eighth anniversary of British Columbia's toxic drug crisis, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people. Graham emphasizes the magnitude of the crisis, with more than 65 to 75 deaths, comparing it to a yellow school bus full of people.
VANCOUVER — In the dozen years she's worked with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users , executive director Brittany Graham has lost count of the people she's seen succumb to British Columbia's toxic drug crisis .
"That's a lot of people that no longer exist who were kind and thoughtful and just really lovely people." Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry further noted in the statement that the public-health emergency has strained the province in "unprecedented ways." But with both provincial and federal elections looming, Graham fears "the toxic politics is what's going to be killing people next," as politicians vie to win votes touting ineffective solutions to the deadly crisis.
He said the situation needs to be recognized as a "health crisis," adding his government is trying to build and improve the province's mental-health and addictions-care systems.
Vancouver Drug Users Public Health Toxic Drug Crisis Deaths Anniversary
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