On May 10, the FNHA launched a four-month overdose prevention and harm reduction awareness campaign that features Indigenous people talking about the impact of toxic drugs in their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Their personal stories and messages can be seen on www.fnha.ca/harmreduction. The campaign includes personal videos, transit shelter and bus bench ads, radio spots, and digital and print ads.
The impact of COVID-19 on the toxic drug crisis
The number of First Nations people in BC dying due to the toxic drug supply has risen dramatically and disproportionately during COVID-19. The increasingly toxic drug supply seen during the pandemic, combined with the harms of historical and present-day colonialism, have led to First Nations people dying from toxic drugs at 5.4 times the rate of other BC residents.
The FNHA is responding to the toxic drug crisis by expanding harm reduction services, supports, education and research with First Nations people – and this communications campaign to raise awareness.
Increase the Support. Reduce the Harm.
“Increase the support – reduce the harm. This is the simple, yet powerful, core message of the campaign," says Dr. Nel Wieman, FNHA's Deputy Chief Medical Officer. “The video stories and messages shared by the people featured in the campaign are moving and heartfelt."
The central goal of the campaign is to guide people in finding the supports that they are looking for at this point on their healing journey. The campaign guides people to the continuum of supports available – from overdose prevention and harm reduction services to resources and alternatives to toxic drugs, such as FNHA's Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service, Opioid Agonist Therapy, land-based healing and more.
View the campaign videos and resources at www.fnha.ca/harmreduction.
Download this information in PDF format here.
