Health & Wellness

A Peer reflects on the ninth anniversary of the toxic drug emergency

Derrick Zabotel estimates he’s lost more than 80 family members and friends due to the opioid crisis. He shares his story of addiction and grief, and the impact the toxic drug crisis has had on him these past nine years.

Derrick Zabotel estimates he’s lost more than 80 family members and friends due to the opioid crisis.

“I have a stack of obituaries this big,” he gestures with his hands. "Grief is one of the hardest things to deal with in life…because you just get over the passing away of a relative or a friend…then you don't even have the time to grieve for that person and there's already another one who's passing away. So it's affected me deeply."

Originally of the Bonaparte First Nation in Cache Creek, Derrick’s Secwépemc name, Snéwt n péllêllkwé7, means Wind over Water. He’s a member of Interior Health’s Peer Advisory and works with ASK Wellness in Kamloops. He hopes to become an Indigenous Peer Navigator to be able to support programs that connect spiritually and culturally with Indigenous People.

In the following video, he shares his story of addiction and grief, and the impact the toxic drug crisis has had on him these past nine years since the declaration of the toxic drug crisis public health emergency in B.C.  

A wicked crisis that needs compassion and kindness

Since the BC Coroners Service started tracking unregulated drug deaths, more than 17,000 people have died in B.C. Since 2016, 2,713 people have died in the Interior region.

The impacts of colonialism, Indigenous-specific racism, and the mismatch between Indigenous health needs and available services mean that First Nations people are being overrepresented in toxic drug harms. While First Nations people make up 4.5 per cent of the population of B.C.’s Interior, they made up 14.4 per cent of toxic drug-related deaths in 2023.

Related Stories@IH: Are you numb to the toxic drug crisis? Here’s why & what to do

People use drugs for different reasons, including medical, recreational, religious and spiritual use, and to cope with trauma, stress and pain. A small percentage will develop substance use disorder, a condition that affects the brain and requires medical and pharmaceutical interventions.

Whether someone has a substance use disorder or not, unregulated drugs can poison or kill anyone—even someone who might use just once or on occasion. Toxic drugs do not discriminate.

Related Stories@IH: Why your friends, neighbours and colleagues may use unregulated drugs

“I can't believe that I'm here today because opioids are destroying a lot of our people. One hit can take you out,” shares Derrick. “Before the fentanyl crisis, I had a lot of friends. A lot of them are no longer with us. I hope that we can help some before it's too late. 

“To turn this around and to help people, we just need to listen and be present. Show them we care, that we love, we have compassion and kindness.”

Get help today

Call 310-MHSU (6478) to reach your local Mental Health and Substance Use Centre for support in your community.

If you’re experiencing feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of self-harm, you can call one of these numbers. These services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays:

April 14, 2025 marks the ninth anniversary of the declaration of the toxic drug emergency in B.C. Throughout the month of April, we’re bringing you stories to help educate, and destigmatize and humanize this wicked crisis. 

 

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