By Ryan Cavani

UBCIC recognizes opioid crisis as “A State of Emergency”

Mar 13, 2019 | 2:31 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Union of BC Indian Chiefs is calling for action from the Provincial Government on the escalating opioid crisis that is devastating First Nations communities in BC.

For the Union, the indigenous communities in the province have born the brunt of the epidemic. The First Nations Health Authority says that indigenous people makeup 14 percent of overdoses and are five times more likely than a non-indigenous person to experience an overdose event.

The Union feels that current approaches such as Naloxone kits and supervised injection sites have not been effective and feel that a grassroots solution focusing on the individual would be more effective.