New Awareness Campaign Plans To Save Lives By Ending Stigma
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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions are teaming up to combat stigma around substance use. The public awareness campaign hopes to get people to feel safe when accessing the treatment and support they need. It also plans to serve as a call to action for all British Columbians by showing that addiction can affect people from all walks of life.
“There are multiple studies showing how stigma associated with drug use drives people to use alone or in settings where people may be unwilling to call 911 for emergency assistance,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, incoming provincial health officer. “In order to encourage people to reach out for help – stigma, guilt and shame must be removed from the equation.”
Campaign ambassador Kirk McLean retired Vancouver Canucks goaltender says, “We all need to come together to break the cycle of silence that keeps people isolated and unable to reach out for help.”
To combat the overdoes crisis, the provincial government is investing $322 million over the next three years to help save lives.
