As the pandemic winds down, another public health emergency rages — and it is not getting as much attention. We're speaking, of course, about the opioid crisis. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief medical officer of health, recently tweeted that the latest data shows that in 2021, 7,560 people died of opioid-related overdose. On average, 21 people died and 17 were hospitalized every day.
Tara's guest on the program today penned an opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun in 2020 warning that our pandemic response could escalate the crisis. Sadly, he has been proven right.
He is a former criminal justice advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper who underwent a transformation in his views, becoming a passionate advocate for the decriminalization of drugs, for a safe supply, and above all, for more empathy and compassion for Canadians struggling with addiction. Benjamin Perrin is a professor at the University of British Columbia’s law school. He’s also the author of Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada’s Opioid Crisis.
You can find Tara Henley on Twitter at @TaraRHenley, and on Substack at tarahenley.substack.com