Paramedic Specialists Brian Twaites and David Hilder of B.C. Ambulance debrief after responding to a drug overdose in downtown Vancouver, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Twaites says he has watched as the province's illicit drugs have become more toxic, requiring more effort and more overdose-reversal medication to save people's lives. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
VANCOUVER – A former Vancouver paramedic with decades of experience says he has watched as illicit drugs have become more toxic, requiring more effort and more overdose-reversing medication to save people’s lives.
Brian Twaites’ comments come on the seventh anniversary of British Columbia’s declaration of the public health emergency for the overdose crisis.
Twaites worked for 36 years, mostly in the city’s Downtown Eastside, and says drug users need to stop using alone and should also ensure they’re not all using the same drug at the same time so someone can call for help.
B.C. was the first jurisdiction in Canada to declare a public health emergency over increasing overdoses on April 14, 2016, after overdose deaths reached 474 in 2015.
Last year, the toxic drug supply claimed nearly 2,300 lives in the province.
Premier David Eby, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whtiteside and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that they mourn with every B.C. resident who has lost a loved one, family member or friend to the crisis.
“Today, we deepen our resolve to save lives and improve lives, even as the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts have made the drug supply even more toxic for people in our province,” the statement says.
“Budget 2023’s historic $1 billion in targeted investments will continue this work and will focus on scaling up detox, treatment and recovery services across the full spectrum of care, so people can find and stay connected to vital supports on their wellness journey.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2023
