Decked out in purple, motorists of all kinds, from hot rods to old Ford pickup trucks, drove in Richmond on Sunday, hoping to chase away the stigma surrounding poison drug use.
The event, called Drive to Destigmatize, coincided with a somber anniversary: when British Columbia declared the overdose crisis a public health emergency 8 years ago.
“The truth is, other people are dying at home,” said organizer Trevor Tablotney.
“My brother went to work, came home, did drugs, played Fortnite at the time, and passed away,” she told CTV News.
Tablotney argued that other people, addicts and users, come from all walks of life and can be rich or poor.
Trevor Tablotney, organizer of Drive to Destigmatize, is pictured Saturday, April 14. (CTV News/St. John Alexander) The occasion is designed to let other people who use drugs know that there are others who can offer them and that they are not alone.
“It’s easy for the suburbs to forget about this challenge, but the challenge is everywhere,” he said.
It’s a fear echoed by the provincial government on Sunday, which claimed “the catastrophic effect this crisis has had on so many other people in British Columbia. “
“Every life lost during this crisis is a loss to our community – friends, parents, siblings and children. To the families, friends and loved ones: we see you, we stand with you and we share your grief,” said Prime Minister David Ethrough. he said in a statement.
Since the public health emergency was declared on April 14, 2016, an estimated 14,000 more people have died as a result of toxic drug use.
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