Women's Performance Jessica Michalofsky - Running Through Grief to End Toxic Drug Deaths
As much as she loves running, Jessica Michalofsky wishes her purpose was different.
Jessica runs in memory of her son, Aubrey, who died in August of 2022 of toxic fentanyl poisoning and her mission is clear - we need the drug supply to be safe in order for people to stop dying.
Toxic drugs are now the leading cause of death in British Columbia in people ages 10-59 and the problem is that the criminal supply of opioids has become increasingly synthetic and toxic.
Yes, the cultural perception that “this won’t happen to me” and social stigma still play a massive role, but as she says, toxic drug use isn’t just killing "traditional" addicts. These drugs are killing first-time users and recreational users.
Sara and Jessica talk about her “Marathon a Day for Safe Supply” campaign and the response to her efforts to bring awareness and solutions.
They discuss the way that our culture tends to blame bad parenting and specifically “bad mothering” if your child becomes a user. (In fact, Jessica wrote a piece for Feisty Media on the concept of "Bad Enough Mothers.")
They also talk about using running to deal with her grief, the ups and downs of these daily runs, and what it truly means to be "feisty" when you're running against the status quo.
So, yes, as much as she would love to eradicate addiction, her purpose is to, first, provide a safe supply in order to preserve life…a life like her late son’s.
Bad Enough Mothers and the Illicit Poisoning Crisis
Follow Jessica's Journey on Instagram: @marathon.for.safe.supply
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