Marking the sombre anniversary of the toxic drug crisis

April 8, 2022

On April 14, 2016, the increasing number of opioid overdoses prompted the Province to declare a public health emergency. Six years later, close to 1,500 family members, friends, coworkers, teammates, neighbours and friends have been lost to overdose within the Interior Health (IH) region alone.

Inspired by the International Black Balloon Day, on April 14 IH’s mental health and substance use teams and community partners will display black balloons in recognition of this sombre anniversary.

In this Story…

How you can help

Community events on April 14

Poster: Why Black Balloons?

In the words of IH’s mental health and substance use network director

How you can help

On April 14, display black balloons at your business or home.
Take the pledge – avoid stigmatizing language around substance use.
Carry a naloxone kit and learn how to use it. Find a location where you can get a kit and training.
Start a conversation – whether you are a parent, friend, or colleague, talking about overdose prevention and substance use is a crucial step.
Learn how to identify and respond to an overdose. Call 9-1-1 in case of overdose – the Good Samaritan law can protect people from drug possession charges if they experience or call 9-1-1 after witnessing an overdose.
Share on social media. Use the black balloon filter to change your profile picture/background.

Community events on April 14

We’ll continue to update this section as details become available.

Kelowna: Working with Moms Stop the Harm and people with lived/living experience, local Starbucks locations will be giving out black balloons from 9 a.m. – noon. Balloons will be on display from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the Harvey Avenue pedestrian overpass.

Penticton: A walk with black balloons from Martin Street clinic (117-437 Martin St.) to Elk’s parking lot (343 Ellis St.) starts at 11 a.m. From noon - 4 p.m., there will be speeches and displays in Elk’s parking lot. Everyone welcome.

Trail: Meet at 1 p.m. at the Trail Cenotaph and then walk to Trail Bridge for memorial and speeches. Everyone welcome. Join at 11 a.m. at the United Church in advance of the walk and memorials if you’d like to make signs, etc.

Vernon: Mental Health and Substance Use staff and people with lived/living experience will be downtown at 3 p.m. with black balloons and harm reduction information.

Williams Lake: Staff are invited to join the Mental Health & Substance Use team in the Cariboo Memorial Hospital cafeteria 9 – 11 a.m. on April 14 for coffee and cookies. Team members will be on site to provide information and support.

Poster: Why Black Balloons?

Poster: Why Black Balloons

View Full Sized Poster

In the words of IH’s mental health and substance use network director

This crisis continues despite the implementation of new harm reduction measures and record investments in mental health and substance use services. We know the steps taken over the last six years, such as distribution of Take Home Naloxone kits, introduction of drug-checking services, opening new supervised consumption services, and expanding substance use treatment, have saved countless lives. Unfortunately it has not been enough in the face of an increasingly unpredictable, poisonous drug supply. We never lose sight of the lives lost and continue to work hard to expand access to harm reduction and treatment.

-- Debi Morris