In its fight to curb ever-climbing overdose death rates, middle-class drug users have been a challenge to reach for health officials.

Part of fighting the overdose crisis means getting the right messaging across to the right people, according to IH medical health officer Dr. Silvina Mema. That includes letting people know help is available and conveying tried and true safety precautions when using drugs, such as not using alone and keeping naloxone on hand.

That can be an uphill battle, according to Mema, who said many people still believe the overdose crisis mostly or exclusively affects homeless or lower-class people.

91裸聊视频淭hat is really a myth. It is true, in terms of many of those are dying. Being homeless is a risk factor, for sure,91裸聊视频� Mema said. 91裸聊视频淏ut they are not the only ones that are being affected by this crisis.91裸聊视频�

For those on the street level, Mema said there have been some successes in getting some of the messages out to drug users.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been giving hundreds of naloxone, so people are understanding that they need to carry it, but at the same time there is more people dying than before,91裸聊视频� Mema said. 91裸聊视频淭he crisis is not stopping in a sense. 91裸聊视频� This is a lot deeper problem than anybody imagined, really.91裸聊视频�

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Mema said there are changes beyond messaging that need to be enacted to try to halt the overdose crisis 91裸聊视频� particularly noting that the illegality of drugs has led to a number of issues, including a deregulation of drug purity and quality, as well as a demonization of drugs, and by extension drug users.

91裸聊视频淭he war on drugs is what led us here. This is where we are, because drugs are illegal, and because people who use drugs are stigmatized, and they cannot talk about it, and because they have to use in a back alley or in a bathroom by themselves,91裸聊视频� Mema said.

91裸聊视频淣ow, we are beginning to talk about it, and people are beginning to be more comfortable.91裸聊视频�

Particularly, Mema said health officials have been talking with homeless people about safe drug practices for so long that it has become less stigmatized for that social group.

91裸聊视频淭hey have their friends, and they also use, but then there is a lot of people that are middle class that are marginalized in terms of they can91裸聊视频檛 speak with their friends in a pub about their drug use because it91裸聊视频檚 not what the other friends do,91裸聊视频� Mema said.

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In places like Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Downtown Eastside, it91裸聊视频檚 easier to provide help because of the open nature of the drug issue there.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been doing a lot of work toward these lower classes 91裸聊视频� and they get it. They get it because we91裸聊视频檝e been putting a lot of emphasis. They are comfortable going into an agency and asking for naloxone, because they are assumed to use drugs,91裸聊视频� Mema said.

91裸聊视频淭he other classes, where it91裸聊视频檚 not normal to use drugs 91裸聊视频� and it shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be; I91裸聊视频檓 not trying to say that using drugs should be normal, but having a problem and being able to reach out for help 91裸聊视频� that should be normal.

91裸聊视频淭hese other classes, the higher classes, they are more isolated in their use. And that comes especially when they91裸聊视频檝e gone through detox, or they91裸聊视频檝e done treatment, and then they relapse. That91裸聊视频檚 the most isolated.91裸聊视频�

Part of that is because treatment will often encourage users to put up a wall between themselves and their old friends who use in order to keep away from drugs.

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91裸聊视频淭hen if you relapse, then you91裸聊视频檙e alone. Because you don91裸聊视频檛 want anybody to know that you91裸聊视频檝e relapsed,91裸聊视频� Mema said, adding that those who have relapsed are often most at risk, having lost some tolerance.

91裸聊视频淣ow, there is a big emphasis in trying to reach those who use alone 91裸聊视频� the people who have not opened up to help, and how to bring those people out from the shade and offer them help and what help they need 91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 the most difficult group to reach.91裸聊视频�

A group of health officials is beginning to get together to try to determine how to reach those particular drug users, according to Mema, who is part of the group of officials.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l be exploring these groups in more detail, doing research projects there to understand how to reach them better.91裸聊视频�

dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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