Sault Ste. Marie drug strategy group marks International Overdose Awareness Day
The Sault Ste. Marie & Area Drug Strategy is bringing awareness to drug addiction and working to eliminate the stigma surrounding it.
On International Overdose Awareness Day on Tuesday, agencies gathered in Clergue Park to commemorate those who have lost their lives in an ongoing opioid crisis that officials said continues to grip the Algoma region.
Families and friends of overdose victims hung pictures or drawings of loved ones from a tree in Clergue Park. Cami Coutu, coordinator of the Sault Ste. Marie & Area Drug Strategy, said these types of gatherings are important in addressing the overdose crisis.
"It's definitely a complicated problem," said Coutu. "What we're doing is opening our arms to anybody in the community and asking for opinions and suggestions. We believe that the more heads that are together, the better that we can come up with some solutions for some people."
Algoma Public Health was also on hand to help educate those in attendance about overdose and harm reduction.
"We do a little bit of training on recognizing an opioid overdose," said Allison McFarlane, a public health nurse with Algoma Public Health. "What to do if someone is overdosing, how to administer naloxone, the importance of calling 911 because naloxone is not a permanent fix for an overdose. It's just a temporary fix until emergency services arrives."
Among those attending the gathering at Clergue Park was Susan Celetti, who lost her son Jason to an overdose in 2011.
"I walked 11 years with my son addicted to OxyContin," said Celetti. "I had no idea what to do, I didn't know where to go. And right now we have a resource page where we have phone numbers where you can get help and you can at least talk to people and say 'I don't know what to do.'"
Celetti said as overdose deaths continue, it's important to put a human face on the crisis.
"I think coming together and talking as our community, we can be a united front to do what we can to show love in our city to people who are addicted and that they are human beings," she said.
Local health officials said northern Ontario has the highest rates of opioid-related deaths in the country, with the death rate tripling between 2019 and 2020.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.