Thread by @SoniaFurstenau

Unregulated toxic drug deaths are the leading cause of death for every age group from 10 to 59 in British Columbia.

Accounting for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural disease combined.

How did we get here and how do we get out? 1/ #bcpoli

This overwhelming loss of life is a policy choice.

It is a decision made by successive governments to turn our social safety net into a high wire.

And by governments that say the right things but balk at doing what is necessary because it’s not politically expedient. 2/ #bcpoli

The conditions we see in British Columbia today can be traced back to the early 2000s when the BC Liberal (@voteBCUnited) gov’t removed a staggering number of social programs and social supports.

We are now downstream from those decisions and seeing the outcomes. 3/ #bcpoli

Nowadays @voteBCUnited is politicizing this emergency, pointing fingers at people most at risk from the toxic drug supply, fueling fear and offering only limited solutions that will not reduce the death toll we are seeing. 4/ #bcpoli

Meanwhile the @bcndp gov’t which has been at the wheel for the majority of this public health emergency and have offered little more than words during their mandate. 5/ #bcpoli

Failing to implement the evidence-based solutions brought forward by experts.

Instead, scaling back access to safe supply and shutting down Seymour Health clinic which serves a huge number of people in some of the most marginalized parts of Vancouver. 6/ #bcpoli

They've failed to reform the Ministry of Children & Family Development.

73% of children who died from unregulated drug toxicity were receiving or had received services through MCFD.

This year we learnt that 470 children in MCFD care are reported missing each month. 7/ #bcpoli

So how do we get out of this emergency?

We need evidence-based solutions, not political narratives, to address this tragedy.

Safe supply, safe consumption sites, and accessible mental health care and addictions treatment are crucial. 8/ #bcpoli

The need for more safe consumption sites, providing trauma-informed supports and connections, is evident as people turn to public places for drug use.

Strong political will is necessary to make this happen. 9/ #bcpoli

We should be bringing mental healthcare under MSP so British Columbians can access the health care they require.

We need to increase access to community mental health care for youth. Get psychologists and regulated counselors in schools. 10/ #bcpoli

The lives of at least 12,264 British Columbians have been lost to unregulated drugs in the seven years since the public health emergency was first declared in April 2016.

We need a government that is willing to do everything to save lives. 11/11 #bcpoli