Jessica Michalofsky is running more than 900 km from Nelson to Victoria to continue her advocacy for a safe and regulated drug supply.

In October, she ran the equivalent of 14 marathons around the Ministry of Health building in Victoria following the death of her son 25-year-old son, Aubrey Michalofsky.

Aubrey died of a drug overdose last August in Nelson.

In this new marathon, Michalofsky left Nelson on May 21 and will stop in 14 communities before arriving in Victoria on June 25.

She told the Nelson Star her main mission is to correct the misconception that people experiencing homelessness and mental health and addictions issues, in the Downtown Eastside (Vancouver) and on Pandora Street (Victoria) die of toxic drugs.

91裸聊视频淭hose people have such a spectacle around them that it distances (the public) from the issue: 91裸聊视频楳y son doesn91裸聊视频檛 look like that, my family doesn91裸聊视频檛 live like that.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

According to the BC Coroners Services91裸聊视频� statistics, there were 2,272 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths in the province in 2022, and many of those people died in their own homes.

91裸聊视频淭he perception that this is only hardened 91裸聊视频榙rug addicts91裸聊视频� is incorrect,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淵oung people are dying, first-time users are dying, people who were just kind of dabbling with drugs are dying.91裸聊视频�

Aubrey was enrolled in Selkirk College91裸聊视频檚 law and justice studies program and in 2021 earned a diploma, as well as several awards.

Michalofsky said she did not expect to directly influence politicians with her running around the health ministry building, but she hoped media coverage would inform the public.

91裸聊视频淢y purpose was to get the public thinking, talking, asking questions. That is still my hope.91裸聊视频�

Mikalofsky said if her son had had a safe inhalation site he might still be alive. He had used harm reduction services in Nelson and Victoria, she stated that those need to be expanded.

91裸聊视频淗e died in a house in Beasley, where he was doing drugs with people who did drugs, because that is where the drugs were, and those people were his community for the time being. If he had had a regulated safe source of drugs he would have gone to that location had it been accessible.91裸聊视频�

Michalofsky said that although she is an experienced marathon runner, she has never done a multi-day run before.

91裸聊视频淚t is a long distance, I am 51 years old, and even though I have trained, tendonitis and injury are what I fear the most. My will to continue is firm, and I hope my body will cooperate.91裸聊视频�

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bill.metcalfe@nelsonstar.com
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