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Overdose: Heartbreak And Hope in Canada’s Opioid Crisis
An astonishing and powerful look at the ongoing opioid health crisis--the only book of its kind in Canada.
North America is in the middle of a health crisis. The word "Fentanyl" only recently entered common usage, and yet it has become a looming presence in news reports and conversations across Canada. It is an opioid more powerful and pervasive--and deadly--than any previous street drug.
Often those suffering are marginalized people. Consider that in 2003, the SARS epidemic killed 44 people in Canada and launched a massive mobilization of public funds and resources to contain the outbreak. Over 100 times that number have been killed between 2016 and 2017 during the opioid crisis in Canada. Yet, the response has been far from proportionate. In fact, our policies are making things worse.
The victims are many, and as we learn here, not only who we might expect. They are our neighbours: professionals, students, parents, and even health care workers. Despite the thousands of deaths, these victims remain largely invisible. But not anymore.
Benjamin Perrin, a law and policy expert in Vancouver, BC--ground zero for the crisis--shines a light in this darkest of corners. What he finds challenges many assumptions about the people who use opioids, and the factors fuelling the crisis. Why do people use Fentanyl, where does it come from, and why can't we stop it? These questions, and many others being asked by all Canadians, are answered here in this urgent and humane look at the worst health crisis in recent history.
North America is in the middle of a health crisis. The word "Fentanyl" only recently entered common usage, and yet it has become a looming presence in news reports and conversations across Canada. It is an opioid more powerful and pervasive--and deadly--than any previous street drug.
Often those suffering are marginalized people. Consider that in 2003, the SARS epidemic killed 44 people in Canada and launched a massive mobilization of public funds and resources to contain the outbreak. Over 100 times that number have been killed between 2016 and 2017 during the opioid crisis in Canada. Yet, the response has been far from proportionate. In fact, our policies are making things worse.
The victims are many, and as we learn here, not only who we might expect. They are our neighbours: professionals, students, parents, and even health care workers. Despite the thousands of deaths, these victims remain largely invisible. But not anymore.
Benjamin Perrin, a law and policy expert in Vancouver, BC--ground zero for the crisis--shines a light in this darkest of corners. What he finds challenges many assumptions about the people who use opioids, and the factors fuelling the crisis. Why do people use Fentanyl, where does it come from, and why can't we stop it? These questions, and many others being asked by all Canadians, are answered here in this urgent and humane look at the worst health crisis in recent history.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2020
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796 people want to read
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April 4, 2020
This book is the epitome of good research and coherent arguments. The author is a lawyer and his background and experience really shine through his writing.
Fentanyl is the new drug that is driving a full on health crisis in North America. It’s deadly nature is the result of a number of its unique characteristics. Compared to other street drugs, it’s cheaper, easier to manufacture, more potent, and deadly enough that the smallest amount could cause death.
Fentanyl is not like traditional street drugs such as cocaine or heroine in that it does not require specific raw materials to be produced, but instead it can by chemically synthesize anywhere. At the moment, the majority of Fentanyl comes from China, where is cheaply mass produced, by mail.
The supply chain makes it harder for authorities to control the influx of Fentanyl into the country thanks to its method of delivery. It is not constitutional for authorities to open mailed packages without sufficient warrant, and it is almost impossible to prosecute the receiver of the drug through mail because they could claim they have no control of who sends them what.
The second half of the book the author offers some ways we could win the fight against the opioid crisis here in North America. Many would consider his approaches avant garde. On scale of revolutionary ideas, the author recommended providing social services such as:
1. Naloxone (a miracle opioid antagonist) training and availability;
2. Safe injection sites with clean equipment and peers or professionals who could provide immediate medical assistance in case of OD;
3. drug testing sites that offer chemical analysis to combat unintended “bad” drugs. Often users don’t know what they are buying, and lower level dealer also don’t want to risk lives on bad drugs; and most controversial,
4. providing safe dosage to addicts struggling with addiction under medical supervision to control dosage.
The author shines light on the fact that addicts are more likely to OD and die after they’ve completed rehabilitation, when their tolerances are low. The current treatment follows the erroneous belief that the best way is to go cold turkey, which research shows could do more harm than good.
The current infrastructure criminalizes users, who most likely fell into their unfortunate circumstances unintentionally when the medical or social systems failed them. Addicts have looming issues in their lives and their addiction is a symptom (not the source) of their problems. Treating addiction like the mental health issue it is will be the only way society can help its afflicted population in the current environment.
The author makes a very convincing point. I have to admit I was a little uncomfortable with point 3 and 4 above, at first. However, after the author’s persuasive discourse, I no longer feel these evidently helpful guidances are in anyway infringing on the rights of everyday citizens.
One last praise for the author: he makes a keen observation on the political obstacles of this particular topic. It’s not easy start a paradigm shift, especially when it’s politically charged.
It was almost comical to hear how Trudeau responds to these very much forward thinking guidance: “Well, I hear you and I understand, and I’m sympathetic…. But do you know how much trouble I’m having legalizing pot?” And I get it, it’s not an easy position to take for any politician.
We need more capable and upstanding people like Benjamin Perrin to tackle these hard societal problems that normal people don’t have the energy to care, that the afflicted population is too involved in their own issues to deal with, and that the law makers are too bias in their outdated beliefs to tackle.
This is a very accomplished piece of work that the author put a lot of efforts into. It’s a topic that affects all of us, even if you don’t know anyone personally. So please read it and share it. Even if it changes your beliefs about addicts and addiction just a little bit, it could make a difference in society’s attitudes and consequently its policies to save lives.
Fentanyl is the new drug that is driving a full on health crisis in North America. It’s deadly nature is the result of a number of its unique characteristics. Compared to other street drugs, it’s cheaper, easier to manufacture, more potent, and deadly enough that the smallest amount could cause death.
Fentanyl is not like traditional street drugs such as cocaine or heroine in that it does not require specific raw materials to be produced, but instead it can by chemically synthesize anywhere. At the moment, the majority of Fentanyl comes from China, where is cheaply mass produced, by mail.
The supply chain makes it harder for authorities to control the influx of Fentanyl into the country thanks to its method of delivery. It is not constitutional for authorities to open mailed packages without sufficient warrant, and it is almost impossible to prosecute the receiver of the drug through mail because they could claim they have no control of who sends them what.
The second half of the book the author offers some ways we could win the fight against the opioid crisis here in North America. Many would consider his approaches avant garde. On scale of revolutionary ideas, the author recommended providing social services such as:
1. Naloxone (a miracle opioid antagonist) training and availability;
2. Safe injection sites with clean equipment and peers or professionals who could provide immediate medical assistance in case of OD;
3. drug testing sites that offer chemical analysis to combat unintended “bad” drugs. Often users don’t know what they are buying, and lower level dealer also don’t want to risk lives on bad drugs; and most controversial,
4. providing safe dosage to addicts struggling with addiction under medical supervision to control dosage.
The author shines light on the fact that addicts are more likely to OD and die after they’ve completed rehabilitation, when their tolerances are low. The current treatment follows the erroneous belief that the best way is to go cold turkey, which research shows could do more harm than good.
The current infrastructure criminalizes users, who most likely fell into their unfortunate circumstances unintentionally when the medical or social systems failed them. Addicts have looming issues in their lives and their addiction is a symptom (not the source) of their problems. Treating addiction like the mental health issue it is will be the only way society can help its afflicted population in the current environment.
The author makes a very convincing point. I have to admit I was a little uncomfortable with point 3 and 4 above, at first. However, after the author’s persuasive discourse, I no longer feel these evidently helpful guidances are in anyway infringing on the rights of everyday citizens.
One last praise for the author: he makes a keen observation on the political obstacles of this particular topic. It’s not easy start a paradigm shift, especially when it’s politically charged.
It was almost comical to hear how Trudeau responds to these very much forward thinking guidance: “Well, I hear you and I understand, and I’m sympathetic…. But do you know how much trouble I’m having legalizing pot?” And I get it, it’s not an easy position to take for any politician.
We need more capable and upstanding people like Benjamin Perrin to tackle these hard societal problems that normal people don’t have the energy to care, that the afflicted population is too involved in their own issues to deal with, and that the law makers are too bias in their outdated beliefs to tackle.
This is a very accomplished piece of work that the author put a lot of efforts into. It’s a topic that affects all of us, even if you don’t know anyone personally. So please read it and share it. Even if it changes your beliefs about addicts and addiction just a little bit, it could make a difference in society’s attitudes and consequently its policies to save lives.
February 13, 2022
I never thought someone who worked in the Canadian conservative government of Stephen “cruelty is the only answer” Harper could ever have written such a compassionate and passionate book about dealing with Canada’s opioid crisis.
Benjamin Perrin goes through the many steps he took researching the crisis, and the many people he spoke to whose on the ground perspective is so different from the political stance on drugs (e.g., the tired and pointless war on drugs and its accompanying high rate of incarceration and deaths) and how to treat those with addiction.
I was genuinely moved by the stories about those trying to stem the number of deaths from overdoses, and honestly shocked that a former member of a government known for its punitive response to social issues and inequality could have written this book.
Benjamin Perrin goes through the many steps he took researching the crisis, and the many people he spoke to whose on the ground perspective is so different from the political stance on drugs (e.g., the tired and pointless war on drugs and its accompanying high rate of incarceration and deaths) and how to treat those with addiction.
I was genuinely moved by the stories about those trying to stem the number of deaths from overdoses, and honestly shocked that a former member of a government known for its punitive response to social issues and inequality could have written this book.
May 23, 2023
Written by the lead justice and public safety advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Benjamin Perrin takes us through his research and discovery on Canada’s opioid crisis.
I picked up this book to learn more about what harm reduction meant and to learn more about safe injection sites - both programs that are in operation where I work, but programs I didn’t understand. Having read this, I now understand and totally support these programs - the stories, research, and case studies don’t lie, and the current policy of having a war on drugs only makes things infinitely worse.
I thought it was a great point to discuss the difference between decriminalizing something vs legalizing something, and I think most voters wouldn’t know this distinction.
I picked up this book to learn more about what harm reduction meant and to learn more about safe injection sites - both programs that are in operation where I work, but programs I didn’t understand. Having read this, I now understand and totally support these programs - the stories, research, and case studies don’t lie, and the current policy of having a war on drugs only makes things infinitely worse.
I thought it was a great point to discuss the difference between decriminalizing something vs legalizing something, and I think most voters wouldn’t know this distinction.
July 10, 2024
4.5 stars
Excellent overview of the roots and challenges of Canada’s opioid crisis. Writing is highly accessible and this would be a great entry read for someone not fully convinced of the truths of addiction, but who understands that the status quo has failed society. Evidence-based and community informed, Overdose is clear in its findings and leads with compassion.
I appreciated the addition of declaration at the end and the author’s candid comments about his own journey. Particularly his willingness to own that he was blinded by ideology during his work with the Harper government. However, I couldn’t give this book 5 stars as it didn’t dig deep enough for me into the specifics of how government neglect, policy and legislations and wrong action (Harper’s and Trudeau’s) are to blame. It was touched on broadly in many contexts but I wanted more.
Excellent overview of the roots and challenges of Canada’s opioid crisis. Writing is highly accessible and this would be a great entry read for someone not fully convinced of the truths of addiction, but who understands that the status quo has failed society. Evidence-based and community informed, Overdose is clear in its findings and leads with compassion.
I appreciated the addition of declaration at the end and the author’s candid comments about his own journey. Particularly his willingness to own that he was blinded by ideology during his work with the Harper government. However, I couldn’t give this book 5 stars as it didn’t dig deep enough for me into the specifics of how government neglect, policy and legislations and wrong action (Harper’s and Trudeau’s) are to blame. It was touched on broadly in many contexts but I wanted more.
January 25, 2023
This was a really easy to read overview of drug use and opioid crisis in Canada. It's written by a lawyer who was previously an adviser for the Harper government (the ones who really ramped up the war on drugs), so it's interesting to see how his opinion changes as he conducts his research (primarily based in Vancouver). This is definitely a book I'd recommend to ppl who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with concepts like harm reduction, safe supply, and decriminalization (and ppl who might think these are radical or unrealistic ideas)
There are a few examples throughout the book where the author seems to imply that increasing policing resources and surveillance might be helpful in approaching the opioid crisis (probably because a fair amount of his "expert opinions" come from members of Vancouver PD, RCMP, CBSA). I really disagree and don't see what the role of police would be if drug use was successfully decriminalized ?
I was talking with Steph about the specifics of decriminalization and realized that the idea is still pretty theoretical in my mind - I agree with the concept but don't have a clear understanding of how that would play out. Eg: decrim vs legalisation? decrim of use, possession, sales, and/or production? is there any beed for regulating? how would that impact local and global economy? Definitely need to do more reading around that!
There are a few examples throughout the book where the author seems to imply that increasing policing resources and surveillance might be helpful in approaching the opioid crisis (probably because a fair amount of his "expert opinions" come from members of Vancouver PD, RCMP, CBSA). I really disagree and don't see what the role of police would be if drug use was successfully decriminalized ?
I was talking with Steph about the specifics of decriminalization and realized that the idea is still pretty theoretical in my mind - I agree with the concept but don't have a clear understanding of how that would play out. Eg: decrim vs legalisation? decrim of use, possession, sales, and/or production? is there any beed for regulating? how would that impact local and global economy? Definitely need to do more reading around that!
September 19, 2020
I have read quite a few books about the opioid epidemic, but most of them are US-focused. Very refreshing to read something from a Caandian perspective, since our legal and healthcare systems are so different. Especially thoughtful coming from Perrin, and he underscores how his mind shifted during the course of his research.
Especially important during COVID-19, which is having a huge impact on drug users and their ability to access treatment and safe use services.
Especially important during COVID-19, which is having a huge impact on drug users and their ability to access treatment and safe use services.
Read
June 21, 2023This book is an incredible and much-needed addition to the literature of studies on the drug epidemic, because it fills the vacuum of coverage on the Canadian context. This is a significant contribution, because Canada now ranks second in terms of casualties and people affected by drug addictions and overdoses. The author, Benjamin Perrin, is a UBC law professor and former Harper administration advisor. He crisscrosses the country, tapping his networks to interview leaders from the top echelons of government and the nonprofit world as well as medical officers, law enforcement and drug users at the frontlines of the epidemic, in pursuit of this ultimate research question: what's at the bottom of this drug epidemic and what are the solutions? His background is a conservative bent but he promises to approach this serious question with an open mind wherever the evidence would lead. His conclusions spark several of his conversions of belief:
a) We have to treat drug addiction as a chronic disease, not a crime. We have to accept that people in the spiral of drug use have a health disorder that they cannot control, like any other illness.
This perspective has multiple implications, according to the author.
First, addicts shouldn't be jailed, it won't help. Second, this perspective should make us more willing to dedicate and release large amounts of funds that we usually allocate to other public health outbreaks, like SARS. Third, this should release addicts from the grip of stigma or shame that make them reluctant to seek help. Fourth, it opens our eyes to the reality of the demographic of addicts in society, which doesn't fit the typical profiles of 'useless discards or vagrants of society that people look down on' or 'indulgents seeking a hedonistic lifestyle while society pays the externalities'. Instead, data shows that addicts usually have unresolved trauma in their lives, due to factors in their childhood such as neglect or abuse, and substance abuse becomes an unhealthy coping mechanism that numbs their pain or mental agony. These people include the Indigenous community, people previously on pain medication due to sports, firefighters and police, and teenagers who raid their parents' pill cabinets out of only idle curiosity. When addicts are on withdrawal with intentions to reform, they are most vulnerable due to lapses on their tolerance levels.
b)We can't solve this epidemic with a supply-side approach that attempts to attack and uproot the supply or delivery of the drug. There's several reasons for the ineffectiveness of this approach. The first is that this leads to a race between enforcers and drug dealers that unleash the dealers' creativity in reaching their market. Dealers decide to pack or saturate the amount of dose of drug they can encase in a small volume. They use out-of-the-box thinking to transport their wares, such as lacing them in greeting cards and other unsuspicious packages. The history of the Prohibition era belies the creed that policing supply will thwart a vice. Crackdowns limit but don't eradicate the drug supply.
This is related to a second reason: in a market of opportunity, arresting some dealers creates a vacuum of fortune for new dealers to fill. Police can't track them all, like a morbid whack-a-mole. Fentanyl, the new drug of choice, is synthetic not grown, so there are no regional sources to bottleneck. Someone with undergraduate chemistry knowledge could make it anew. There is no stoppering a bottle with an infinite source. Police and border control have tried, but even massive captures of smuggled drugs result in temporary deficits, with conflicting evidence on the effects on pricing on the market.
The question we have to answer is who are we solving this drug epidemic for. If we are trying to save lives and save people who've become addicted, as the author hopes, then the solutions, he says, that the research bears out are clear. We can set up safe injection sites, naloxone administrations, and reorient our society towards decriminalization and public assistance.
Of course, if we as society decide we are trying to partition the non-drug addicted from the effects of the drug addicted, such as witnessing them on our streets or keeping schoolchildren away from leftover needles or cleaning up public spaces or minimizing the funds we allot to treatment, then this leads to a different set of priorities and conversations that muddy the waters around help for the drug-afflicted. We as a society have to figure out where we stand with regards to all that.
a) We have to treat drug addiction as a chronic disease, not a crime. We have to accept that people in the spiral of drug use have a health disorder that they cannot control, like any other illness.
This perspective has multiple implications, according to the author.
First, addicts shouldn't be jailed, it won't help. Second, this perspective should make us more willing to dedicate and release large amounts of funds that we usually allocate to other public health outbreaks, like SARS. Third, this should release addicts from the grip of stigma or shame that make them reluctant to seek help. Fourth, it opens our eyes to the reality of the demographic of addicts in society, which doesn't fit the typical profiles of 'useless discards or vagrants of society that people look down on' or 'indulgents seeking a hedonistic lifestyle while society pays the externalities'. Instead, data shows that addicts usually have unresolved trauma in their lives, due to factors in their childhood such as neglect or abuse, and substance abuse becomes an unhealthy coping mechanism that numbs their pain or mental agony. These people include the Indigenous community, people previously on pain medication due to sports, firefighters and police, and teenagers who raid their parents' pill cabinets out of only idle curiosity. When addicts are on withdrawal with intentions to reform, they are most vulnerable due to lapses on their tolerance levels.
b)We can't solve this epidemic with a supply-side approach that attempts to attack and uproot the supply or delivery of the drug. There's several reasons for the ineffectiveness of this approach. The first is that this leads to a race between enforcers and drug dealers that unleash the dealers' creativity in reaching their market. Dealers decide to pack or saturate the amount of dose of drug they can encase in a small volume. They use out-of-the-box thinking to transport their wares, such as lacing them in greeting cards and other unsuspicious packages. The history of the Prohibition era belies the creed that policing supply will thwart a vice. Crackdowns limit but don't eradicate the drug supply.
This is related to a second reason: in a market of opportunity, arresting some dealers creates a vacuum of fortune for new dealers to fill. Police can't track them all, like a morbid whack-a-mole. Fentanyl, the new drug of choice, is synthetic not grown, so there are no regional sources to bottleneck. Someone with undergraduate chemistry knowledge could make it anew. There is no stoppering a bottle with an infinite source. Police and border control have tried, but even massive captures of smuggled drugs result in temporary deficits, with conflicting evidence on the effects on pricing on the market.
The question we have to answer is who are we solving this drug epidemic for. If we are trying to save lives and save people who've become addicted, as the author hopes, then the solutions, he says, that the research bears out are clear. We can set up safe injection sites, naloxone administrations, and reorient our society towards decriminalization and public assistance.
Of course, if we as society decide we are trying to partition the non-drug addicted from the effects of the drug addicted, such as witnessing them on our streets or keeping schoolchildren away from leftover needles or cleaning up public spaces or minimizing the funds we allot to treatment, then this leads to a different set of priorities and conversations that muddy the waters around help for the drug-afflicted. We as a society have to figure out where we stand with regards to all that.
July 14, 2021
Working in the helping field in BC, there wasn’t much novel information here. I did find the history of the spread of fentanyl in BC particularly interesting.
I started (and remain) where Perrin ended up with regards to opioids: pro-decriminalization and pro-compassionate, evidence-based care. However I think Perrin over estimates the role of criminalization in the sustaining of stigma. Even if possession is decriminalized, people struggle when their loved ones are high all the time. Alcohol is legalized but drinkers hide their behaviour because the people in their lives disapprove of that behaviour. They lie and they drink alone and pretend they are not drunk. Even when people are well boundaried and compassionate and don’t try to control their loved ones, people still often set a boundary to protect themselves like “If you’re really high,I’ll go home and connect you with again later because it’s painful for me to be around you when you’re high.” Even this can be hard for the person using and so they are tempted to hide the behaviour. There’s a social stigma that can probably never be eradicated simply because we want the people in our lives to be healthy and none of us approve of our children or spouses or parents becoming addicted and we all know that. It’s impossible to shake. We can be loving and understanding. But we’ll never probably be fully accepting because the behaviour has social and relational consequences.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the drug policy makes peoples lives much harder and many heavily addicted people end up compounding their original trauma because of the things they do to earn money for drugs. However even if you have all the money in the world to buy drugs, being incredibly high all the time is incredibly destructive to you. Think of all the rockstars. Amy Winehouse, sweet angel, utterly fell apart and she never had to hustle for her drugs. I think decriminalization and safe supply are essential and petty crime will certainly fall. It will also disrupt drug trafficking and high level gang activity. But higher levels of assault, sexual assault, property destruction, vandalism etc will still continue because being high all the time erodes your ability to self regulate and erodes your impulse control.
I also question the notion that decriminalization will have no effect on punters and casual recreational use. The risk of scoring illicit drugs really does deter a lot of casual users. If it’s easier and less risky to get, more of us will try it, more often. The effort involved in scoring opiates as a newb and the risk of punishment is truly a reason a lot of people haven’t tried heroin. The reverse is also why oxcy was such a hit. Easy to get and legal. And there’s no doubt pharmaceutical opiates have played a big part in driving the opiate crisis. It was initially a low barrier way to get your hands on opiates.
This really is the only sticking point for me around decriminalization… how can we strike the balance between not condoning and not criminalizing? I don’t know the answer.
I started (and remain) where Perrin ended up with regards to opioids: pro-decriminalization and pro-compassionate, evidence-based care. However I think Perrin over estimates the role of criminalization in the sustaining of stigma. Even if possession is decriminalized, people struggle when their loved ones are high all the time. Alcohol is legalized but drinkers hide their behaviour because the people in their lives disapprove of that behaviour. They lie and they drink alone and pretend they are not drunk. Even when people are well boundaried and compassionate and don’t try to control their loved ones, people still often set a boundary to protect themselves like “If you’re really high,I’ll go home and connect you with again later because it’s painful for me to be around you when you’re high.” Even this can be hard for the person using and so they are tempted to hide the behaviour. There’s a social stigma that can probably never be eradicated simply because we want the people in our lives to be healthy and none of us approve of our children or spouses or parents becoming addicted and we all know that. It’s impossible to shake. We can be loving and understanding. But we’ll never probably be fully accepting because the behaviour has social and relational consequences.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the drug policy makes peoples lives much harder and many heavily addicted people end up compounding their original trauma because of the things they do to earn money for drugs. However even if you have all the money in the world to buy drugs, being incredibly high all the time is incredibly destructive to you. Think of all the rockstars. Amy Winehouse, sweet angel, utterly fell apart and she never had to hustle for her drugs. I think decriminalization and safe supply are essential and petty crime will certainly fall. It will also disrupt drug trafficking and high level gang activity. But higher levels of assault, sexual assault, property destruction, vandalism etc will still continue because being high all the time erodes your ability to self regulate and erodes your impulse control.
I also question the notion that decriminalization will have no effect on punters and casual recreational use. The risk of scoring illicit drugs really does deter a lot of casual users. If it’s easier and less risky to get, more of us will try it, more often. The effort involved in scoring opiates as a newb and the risk of punishment is truly a reason a lot of people haven’t tried heroin. The reverse is also why oxcy was such a hit. Easy to get and legal. And there’s no doubt pharmaceutical opiates have played a big part in driving the opiate crisis. It was initially a low barrier way to get your hands on opiates.
This really is the only sticking point for me around decriminalization… how can we strike the balance between not condoning and not criminalizing? I don’t know the answer.
December 28, 2019
There's a couple of things about this title that make it stand out. The first is that it is Canadian; it was extremely relatable and appreciated that this book spoke to the opioid crisis in Canada specifically. The other is that Perrin is admittedly a conservative who was the top criminal justice advisor to Prime Minister Harper - not entirely who you would expect to be writing a book about the opioid crisis. Especially this book, which not only takes a look at the simple questions of what the opioid crisis is and why is fentanyl so deadly, but also examines why our current approach to drugs and drug users is almost certainly not the best approach. Perrin's examination of the different aspects of drugs and drug users, from why do they use,to where is the supply coming from, and how can we stop people from overdosing is well thought out and discussed, though you would expect no less from a law professor. There is, in my opinion, an over-reliance on long quotations from the many people he interviews.
This book would be an excellent, thought-provoking and hopefully eye-opening read for anyone, especially Canadians, who is looking to learn more about the opioid crisis and the people it affects. That is especially true if you hold conservative opinions towards drugs and drugs users. For those that already lean a bit to the left, you may find that it leaves you wanting a bit more depth.
This book would be an excellent, thought-provoking and hopefully eye-opening read for anyone, especially Canadians, who is looking to learn more about the opioid crisis and the people it affects. That is especially true if you hold conservative opinions towards drugs and drugs users. For those that already lean a bit to the left, you may find that it leaves you wanting a bit more depth.
December 16, 2019
A thorough and informative book on the world of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be 100 times more potent than morphine. It has no smell or taste and a dose that's the size of a grain of salt is enough to kill. The author makes a good case that criminalizing opioids makes the crisis worse and he advocates compassion for addicts, pointing out it's a chronic illness that needs to be treated. Monitored injections of prescription opioids has proven more successful than detox, but there is no federal political will for this approach in Canada -- not by the current Liberals, nor by the Conservatives before them.
This is not an easy book to get through. The first two thirds lays out the all-encompassing nature of the problem crisis and the shocking number of deaths -- more than our WWI and WWII deaths combined. Thank goodness for the final third of the book, which explores treatment options, success in BC and survivor stories.
Highly recommended.
This is not an easy book to get through. The first two thirds lays out the all-encompassing nature of the problem crisis and the shocking number of deaths -- more than our WWI and WWII deaths combined. Thank goodness for the final third of the book, which explores treatment options, success in BC and survivor stories.
Highly recommended.
March 25, 2022
4.5/5. In Canada, BC is the epicentre of the opioid crisis - and if you have ever visited East Hastings Street in Vancouver, then you would have witnessed the evidence first-hand. On average, a life is lost every 2 hours in Canada as a result of a drug overdose - this number has increased with fentanyl production and use. In 2018, Fentanyl was found in 87% of overdose toxicology reports. This drugs is a synthetic opioid which is: potent, cheap, easy to make anywhere, easy to import supplies from China, easy to combine with other drugs (it is odourless and tasteless) and it if consumed, it literally turns off the receptors in your brain that make you breathe. Add the dark web, cryptocurrencies and a lack of legal tools, and you can see how this issue got out of hand.
If you read this book with an open mind and open heart, you will see the opioid crisis through different eyes. For example, in 2003 the SARS epidemic killed 44 people in Canada and generated a massive mobilization of public resources to contain its spread. Hundreads of times that number have died in this country from opioid related overdoses. Why has the response to deaths not been proportionate and how can we change that?
It's time to stop punishing those with substance use disorders and instead treat them with compassion. It's time to stop fuelling the stigma that endangering people's lives and instead help them deal with the pain and trauma. It's time to end the failed experiment of prohibition and end the war on drugs. Here are some steps we could take to make positive changes:
1. Make naloxone freely and widely available + provide first aid training in how to respond to an overdose. Training is free online at www.naloxonetraining.com and only takes 15 minutes. Many public's places have AEDs to save the lives of heart attach victims and the same should be the case for Naloxone and overdose victims.
2. Remove legal barrier to supervised consumption sites, overdose prevention sites and "no questions asked" drug testing services
3. Expand access to evidence based treatment such as Suboxone & initiate legal, regulated access to prescription opioids under medical direction and supervision (diacetlymorphine, hydromorphone and extended release medications) to people with opioid use disorders.
4. Increase support to individuals with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), indigenous communities, poor communities and those with a history of incarceration
5. Recognize withdrawal symptoms or "dope sickness": dysphoric mood, N&V, muscle aches, pupillary dilation, diarrhea, fever and insomnia. Some people only continue to take drugs in order to prevent withdrawal. Treat patients in a holistic manor and choose support instead of punishment.
6. Make changes in the Canada Post Cooperation Act to allow the police to legally intercept mail with proper authorizations to reduce fentanyl drug trafficking.
Thank you for reading my TED talk :). This book has increased my knowledge on drugs, altered my perspective on addictions and will help me become a better nurse through empathy.
If you read this book with an open mind and open heart, you will see the opioid crisis through different eyes. For example, in 2003 the SARS epidemic killed 44 people in Canada and generated a massive mobilization of public resources to contain its spread. Hundreads of times that number have died in this country from opioid related overdoses. Why has the response to deaths not been proportionate and how can we change that?
It's time to stop punishing those with substance use disorders and instead treat them with compassion. It's time to stop fuelling the stigma that endangering people's lives and instead help them deal with the pain and trauma. It's time to end the failed experiment of prohibition and end the war on drugs. Here are some steps we could take to make positive changes:
1. Make naloxone freely and widely available + provide first aid training in how to respond to an overdose. Training is free online at www.naloxonetraining.com and only takes 15 minutes. Many public's places have AEDs to save the lives of heart attach victims and the same should be the case for Naloxone and overdose victims.
2. Remove legal barrier to supervised consumption sites, overdose prevention sites and "no questions asked" drug testing services
3. Expand access to evidence based treatment such as Suboxone & initiate legal, regulated access to prescription opioids under medical direction and supervision (diacetlymorphine, hydromorphone and extended release medications) to people with opioid use disorders.
4. Increase support to individuals with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), indigenous communities, poor communities and those with a history of incarceration
5. Recognize withdrawal symptoms or "dope sickness": dysphoric mood, N&V, muscle aches, pupillary dilation, diarrhea, fever and insomnia. Some people only continue to take drugs in order to prevent withdrawal. Treat patients in a holistic manor and choose support instead of punishment.
6. Make changes in the Canada Post Cooperation Act to allow the police to legally intercept mail with proper authorizations to reduce fentanyl drug trafficking.
Thank you for reading my TED talk :). This book has increased my knowledge on drugs, altered my perspective on addictions and will help me become a better nurse through empathy.
April 12, 2023
Ready for something SHOCKING?
The number of lives being lost in the ongoing opioid crisis in Canada are the equivalent to a fully-loaded large passenger aircraft crashing and killing everyone aboard every 5 to 6 weeks. How are we ignoring this?!??
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am very against street drugs and the people that use them. And yet, since serving our unhoused neighbours in downtown Kitchener for the last several months, I’ve seen these people in a different light. I hate to admit that I once helped fuel the stigma that these people are criminals and not worth anything to our society. I don’t believe that anymore and after reading this book, I truly believe that we need to decriminalize illicit drugs. Shocking, I know, but so much of this read was shocking and eye-opening. Decriminalizing is different than legalizing, so don’t get that mixed up. I just realize now how much prohibition is not working; as drugs are seized, more are supplied. Synthetic drugs made in labs are cheaper to produce, easier to ship/hide, yet more potent and therefore expanding. These opioids are dangerous. Prohibition doesn’t work and it’s expensive: “Billions upon billions of dollars continue to be spent worldwide on criminal enforcement against illicit drugs with massive violence in the streets as rival traffickers fight each other for turf and battle against increasingly militarized police forces.“
Criminalization of illicit drugs encourages all drug users to use in secret and yet the biggest risk factor for overdose is people using alone. “The opposite of addiction is connection.” We need to have more understanding and empathy for how these people came to arrive at that place in their lives. Many are self medicating the pain in their lives. This shouldn’t be a criminal matter; it should be a public health/medical matter.
“Many people in our society are living with deep pain and unresolved trauma. They need our compassion, not our condemnation. Yet condemnation is precisely how people who use illicit drugs are treated. As social outcasts. We insist that they accept “personal responsibility“ while we ignore our own moral responsibility to help them.”
If you decide to pick up this book (which I HIGHLY recommend that you do), please go in with an open mind and an open heart.
The number of lives being lost in the ongoing opioid crisis in Canada are the equivalent to a fully-loaded large passenger aircraft crashing and killing everyone aboard every 5 to 6 weeks. How are we ignoring this?!??
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am very against street drugs and the people that use them. And yet, since serving our unhoused neighbours in downtown Kitchener for the last several months, I’ve seen these people in a different light. I hate to admit that I once helped fuel the stigma that these people are criminals and not worth anything to our society. I don’t believe that anymore and after reading this book, I truly believe that we need to decriminalize illicit drugs. Shocking, I know, but so much of this read was shocking and eye-opening. Decriminalizing is different than legalizing, so don’t get that mixed up. I just realize now how much prohibition is not working; as drugs are seized, more are supplied. Synthetic drugs made in labs are cheaper to produce, easier to ship/hide, yet more potent and therefore expanding. These opioids are dangerous. Prohibition doesn’t work and it’s expensive: “Billions upon billions of dollars continue to be spent worldwide on criminal enforcement against illicit drugs with massive violence in the streets as rival traffickers fight each other for turf and battle against increasingly militarized police forces.“
Criminalization of illicit drugs encourages all drug users to use in secret and yet the biggest risk factor for overdose is people using alone. “The opposite of addiction is connection.” We need to have more understanding and empathy for how these people came to arrive at that place in their lives. Many are self medicating the pain in their lives. This shouldn’t be a criminal matter; it should be a public health/medical matter.
“Many people in our society are living with deep pain and unresolved trauma. They need our compassion, not our condemnation. Yet condemnation is precisely how people who use illicit drugs are treated. As social outcasts. We insist that they accept “personal responsibility“ while we ignore our own moral responsibility to help them.”
If you decide to pick up this book (which I HIGHLY recommend that you do), please go in with an open mind and an open heart.
August 8, 2020
Everything you needed and wanted to know about the opioid crisis: why it's happening, what can done to address it, and why prohibition approaches have not only failed but have made the situation worse and to some extent even created the crisis.
I started this book expecting a dry read and disagreement with the author, but I was pleasantly surprised on both counts! I considered myself someone fairly knowledgeable about the crisis, but I learned so much! This book is well-written and well-researched, a good (but sometimes emotionally challenging) read, and it does a great job of amplifying the voices of experts and advocates.
For anyone who has reservations about harm reduction, supervised consumption, safe supply, and decriminalization, Perrin takes you by the skeptic's hand (as he was once one) and gently leads you to the evidence-based reasons for why we really don't have any other option but to start treating this like the health emergency it is. Perrin is compassionate and reasoned in his arguments, and he makes an incredibly compelling case.
Discl. I have been one of Perrin's students.
I started this book expecting a dry read and disagreement with the author, but I was pleasantly surprised on both counts! I considered myself someone fairly knowledgeable about the crisis, but I learned so much! This book is well-written and well-researched, a good (but sometimes emotionally challenging) read, and it does a great job of amplifying the voices of experts and advocates.
For anyone who has reservations about harm reduction, supervised consumption, safe supply, and decriminalization, Perrin takes you by the skeptic's hand (as he was once one) and gently leads you to the evidence-based reasons for why we really don't have any other option but to start treating this like the health emergency it is. Perrin is compassionate and reasoned in his arguments, and he makes an incredibly compelling case.
Discl. I have been one of Perrin's students.
May 20, 2022
Picked this one up because it’s an issue we should all know more about - and I’m so glad I did. It’s extremely well-researched and very approachable. The chapters were clearly laid out and formed a well-balanced scientific and ethical case for decriminalization and a compassionate approach to caring for individuals dealing with opioid addiction. People who already know about this issue may find some explanations a little basic or repetitive, but I really appreciated the reminders and definitions throughout. The Canadian perspective was refreshing too.
November 16, 2022
I never thought I would give non-fiction 5 stars but this book deserves it. So interesting and it really challenged myths and perceptions regarding people who use drugs WITH CREDIBLE RESEARCH. Very impressed since I learned so much and the prose was simple enough (for a non-fiction book). I like the narrative style.
September 11, 2022
Overdose: A Warning
Overdose was a hard book to read. Not because it wasn’t interesting. Not because it wasn’t well written. But rather because it was so pertinent. So full of potential solutions. So full of hope to combat the despair. And yet…
Politics are getting in the way of solutions. And while that happens, people are dying. As the author, Benjamin Perrin, explains, not dying from ‘overdoses’ but rather from poisoning. Drug users, those suffering from addiction, are forced to get their drugs from illicit sources. Those sources are not the most reliable. Their wares are laced with fentanyl and other opioids. The consequences are the death of hundreds and thousands. Not just in Canada, but across the USA as well.
“Most people are more comfortable with old problems then with new solutions.”
Some of the lessons that I learned, or were reemphasised to me while reading this book that I would like to share with you:
1. Addiction is not a crime;
2. Addiction when not treated leads to anti social and criminal activity – people who are addicted (addicts) need their fix;
3. People are not dying because they are accidentally or intentionally overdosing, rather they are being poisoned, often fatally by illicit, inconsistent, and a tainted drug supply;
4. That while we should become aware and advocate for solutions we cannot just wait on governments;
5. Learning about and learning how to use Narcan can help;
6. That there are solutions!
WE CANNOT WAIT FOR THE POLITICOS.
Normally I dissect a book by reviewing notes, copying passages and sharing them. Normally. As the author explains these are not normal times. Finally, I would like to conclude by making three points – and I will have more to say about this important book and topic in the days ahead:
1. The author cites an anonymous quote, that is worth repeating: “Most people are more comfortable with old problems then with new solutions.” Trying to prohibit drugs, and then declaring a war on them has been a drastic failure. We must change course.
2. Narcan is a simple to administer negator of opioid overdoses. We should have them everywhere.
3. Addicts are not just homeless people on the street – they are workers, professionals, the aged, the under 30’s, and literally everyone in between. I am aware mine of how medical staff erred and gave a lady in your 90s an overdose of fentanyl. Yes, mistakes happen. Narcan can help negate those mistakes in the short run.
The author, Benjamin Perrin, is a smart guy. He did not start out in life thinking that drugs are okay. Rather, I would say that he was on the other side of the fence. He has ideas and solutions on how we can stop the carnage from the ‘War on Drugs’ and Prohibitionist policies that are killing our people, destroying families, and causing grief and suffering.
“Overdose is a necessary and searching investigation into a devasting epidemic that should never have happened.” Gabor Mate, M.D.
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada’s Opioid Crisis
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2022...
Overdose was a hard book to read. Not because it wasn’t interesting. Not because it wasn’t well written. But rather because it was so pertinent. So full of potential solutions. So full of hope to combat the despair. And yet…
Politics are getting in the way of solutions. And while that happens, people are dying. As the author, Benjamin Perrin, explains, not dying from ‘overdoses’ but rather from poisoning. Drug users, those suffering from addiction, are forced to get their drugs from illicit sources. Those sources are not the most reliable. Their wares are laced with fentanyl and other opioids. The consequences are the death of hundreds and thousands. Not just in Canada, but across the USA as well.
“Most people are more comfortable with old problems then with new solutions.”
Some of the lessons that I learned, or were reemphasised to me while reading this book that I would like to share with you:
1. Addiction is not a crime;
2. Addiction when not treated leads to anti social and criminal activity – people who are addicted (addicts) need their fix;
3. People are not dying because they are accidentally or intentionally overdosing, rather they are being poisoned, often fatally by illicit, inconsistent, and a tainted drug supply;
4. That while we should become aware and advocate for solutions we cannot just wait on governments;
5. Learning about and learning how to use Narcan can help;
6. That there are solutions!
WE CANNOT WAIT FOR THE POLITICOS.
Normally I dissect a book by reviewing notes, copying passages and sharing them. Normally. As the author explains these are not normal times. Finally, I would like to conclude by making three points – and I will have more to say about this important book and topic in the days ahead:
1. The author cites an anonymous quote, that is worth repeating: “Most people are more comfortable with old problems then with new solutions.” Trying to prohibit drugs, and then declaring a war on them has been a drastic failure. We must change course.
2. Narcan is a simple to administer negator of opioid overdoses. We should have them everywhere.
3. Addicts are not just homeless people on the street – they are workers, professionals, the aged, the under 30’s, and literally everyone in between. I am aware mine of how medical staff erred and gave a lady in your 90s an overdose of fentanyl. Yes, mistakes happen. Narcan can help negate those mistakes in the short run.
The author, Benjamin Perrin, is a smart guy. He did not start out in life thinking that drugs are okay. Rather, I would say that he was on the other side of the fence. He has ideas and solutions on how we can stop the carnage from the ‘War on Drugs’ and Prohibitionist policies that are killing our people, destroying families, and causing grief and suffering.
“Overdose is a necessary and searching investigation into a devasting epidemic that should never have happened.” Gabor Mate, M.D.
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada’s Opioid Crisis
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2022...
December 26, 2021
SUCH a powerful book. ive been interested in the arguments surrounding decriminalization of hard drugs ever since i watched some youtube video about it in 2015 and have slowly been collecting information about it in my brain but this book articulates it better and more thoroughly than any other source ive seen. this will definitely inform my work in the community and i highly highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about the current opioid crisis. i havent looked into it yet but im also interested to see if the author has published anything regarding how the covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem and how we can address harm reduction in the face of social distancing orders.
February 14, 2022
A very good, accessible overview of the opioid crisis in Canada. Perrin does a good job directing his message toward people who haven't spent much time thinking about or who might be skeptical about the benefits of harm reduction. He frames everything in a way that comes off as very sincere: "I know what you're thinking because I used to think it too; let me explain why I've changed my mind". While he was definitely preaching to the choir when it came to me, it was nice to see a Canadian perspective on the problem, and his extensive research gave me some new data that just reinforces my belief in the urgent need for drug policy reform.
April 27, 2022
This book changed my mind and expanded my heart on the crisis of illicit opioid use and addiction within BC. The author utilizes evidence based research and coherent arguments to provide an informative yet interesting book about the magnitude of the opioid crisis within our province. Everyone should read this book to de-stigmatize opioid use and gain compassion because you never know what someone is truly facing.
March 28, 2023
This book changed my mindset around a lot of preconceived ideas on addiction. It was well researched, compassionate and realistic. I gave it 4 stars because I found it a bit long so had trouble pushing through but I’m glad I did. His calls to action at the end are worth reading, even if you’re tempted to put it aside
September 6, 2023
4.5 stars, very well researched. Everyone should be aware of the studies and evidence-based treatment options detailed in this book.
"The opioid crisis is a social and health issue, not a moral or legal issue." Paraphrased, but my favourite sentiment from the book.
"The opioid crisis is a social and health issue, not a moral or legal issue." Paraphrased, but my favourite sentiment from the book.
February 1, 2023
The opposite of Addiction is Connection. Highly recommend for everyone to raise awareness of Opiod Crisis.
March 19, 2023
Everyone should read this!!!
August 25, 2023
An important read about the current crisis in Canada.
Read
April 8, 2025There needs to be more conversations like this of how we can support our vulnerable communities.
August 2, 2020
Highly recommended and really opened my eyes to some of my biases regarding addiction. Before reading I was in favour of decriminalization, but also forced detox; now I am in support of decriminalization and a compassionate, supportive approach that would save lives and reduce crime (re: don't need to steal etc. to pay for the drugs).
January 28, 2025
An essential read for all Canadians, I cannot recommend this book enough to those who want to know more about the opioid elidemic
April 8, 2023
Perfect mix of stats and stories. An important read on a pressing issue in Canada and beyond.
Our book club is pairing it with our next read, Vincent Lam’s On The Ravine.
Our book club is pairing it with our next read, Vincent Lam’s On The Ravine.
July 23, 2025
Such a tough discussion with a difficult path forward. I think the key point to highlight (which this book did well) is that the ultimate goal must be to save lives and protect people as best we can, however that may come about.
I found the writing a little disjointed and felt some of the discussion was lacking substance, but otherwise it gave a good overview on the opioid crisis across Canada.
I found the writing a little disjointed and felt some of the discussion was lacking substance, but otherwise it gave a good overview on the opioid crisis across Canada.
July 22, 2020
Thank you to Viking and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
5 glowing stars - If you're to read one book this year please let it be this is the one!
Powerful. Heart-breaking. Astonishing. Eye-opening. Informative. A must-read for all Canadians.
Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada's Opioid Crisis is an introduction to the ongoing opioid crisis, a national health emergency not only here in Canada, but around the globe. Someone is dying every two hours in Canada from illicit drug overdose. The victims are many, and overdose does not discriminate. Every single one of these people is somebody's someone. Despite the rising numbers and the thousands who have died, these victims have remained largely invisible. Benjamin Perrin shines a light on the crisis, and offers a different way forward.
This is without a doubt one of the hardest reviews I have ever written. Why, you may ask? It's an issue very near and dear to my heart, as earlier this year, I lost my favourite person in the entire world to an accidental overdose. I miss him every single day, and I know I always will. He loved baseball, video games and budgies. He was care-free and goofy, an eternal optimist with a smile that lit up a room, the most caring person I've ever met, one to lend a hand without passing judgement, above all he was kind, considerate and loving. And yet, he battled with mental health and addiction from the time he was 15, one that would ultimately take his life. So this is very personal for me.
Perrin does a wonderful job in conducting his research and presenting his findings in a very readable fashion. His research clearly shows that the war on drugs hasn't, and isn't working, and that as a society we need to rethink our approach - moving towards a more compassionate and understanding approach with an emphasis on safe-supply, and decriminalization. This book is put together in a very humanistic way, in that it puts forth many stories from the frontlines, while still remaining evidenced-based. It is without a doubt a book we need. This book focuses mainly on what is happening in B.C. (where Perrin did most of his research, thus understandable), but it doesn't end there. Thousands of Canadians are losing their lives, and yet little is being done about it.
I hope this book can help shine a light on a health crisis many know nothing about, break down barriers, and destigmatize addiction and drug users. Addiction is a disease just like diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, etc. However, it is certainly not addressed or viewed that way. The medical world would never deny, nor does society shame someone needing insulin to treat their diabetes. The same cannot be said for addiction, and this is the reason so many users turn to illicit drugs, and use alone, because they feel ashamed.
Overdose is absolutely necessary, because it sheds light on an ongoing health crisis being swept under the rug (even more so now with a different pandemic taking centre stage). We have seen Canada rally in the face of Covid-19, but the opioid crisis has continued to ravage the nation. If we can spend billions of dollars on one virus, I certainly hope we can rally to help spark policy stage and provide aid and resources in support of another pressing health crisis. The government is failing, current laws and treatments are doing more harm than good, lives are being lost, but we have the ability to make a difference.
Favourite Quotes:
5 glowing stars - If you're to read one book this year please let it be this is the one!
Powerful. Heart-breaking. Astonishing. Eye-opening. Informative. A must-read for all Canadians.
Overdose: Heartbreak and Hope in Canada's Opioid Crisis is an introduction to the ongoing opioid crisis, a national health emergency not only here in Canada, but around the globe. Someone is dying every two hours in Canada from illicit drug overdose. The victims are many, and overdose does not discriminate. Every single one of these people is somebody's someone. Despite the rising numbers and the thousands who have died, these victims have remained largely invisible. Benjamin Perrin shines a light on the crisis, and offers a different way forward.
This is without a doubt one of the hardest reviews I have ever written. Why, you may ask? It's an issue very near and dear to my heart, as earlier this year, I lost my favourite person in the entire world to an accidental overdose. I miss him every single day, and I know I always will. He loved baseball, video games and budgies. He was care-free and goofy, an eternal optimist with a smile that lit up a room, the most caring person I've ever met, one to lend a hand without passing judgement, above all he was kind, considerate and loving. And yet, he battled with mental health and addiction from the time he was 15, one that would ultimately take his life. So this is very personal for me.
Perrin does a wonderful job in conducting his research and presenting his findings in a very readable fashion. His research clearly shows that the war on drugs hasn't, and isn't working, and that as a society we need to rethink our approach - moving towards a more compassionate and understanding approach with an emphasis on safe-supply, and decriminalization. This book is put together in a very humanistic way, in that it puts forth many stories from the frontlines, while still remaining evidenced-based. It is without a doubt a book we need. This book focuses mainly on what is happening in B.C. (where Perrin did most of his research, thus understandable), but it doesn't end there. Thousands of Canadians are losing their lives, and yet little is being done about it.
I hope this book can help shine a light on a health crisis many know nothing about, break down barriers, and destigmatize addiction and drug users. Addiction is a disease just like diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, etc. However, it is certainly not addressed or viewed that way. The medical world would never deny, nor does society shame someone needing insulin to treat their diabetes. The same cannot be said for addiction, and this is the reason so many users turn to illicit drugs, and use alone, because they feel ashamed.
Overdose is absolutely necessary, because it sheds light on an ongoing health crisis being swept under the rug (even more so now with a different pandemic taking centre stage). We have seen Canada rally in the face of Covid-19, but the opioid crisis has continued to ravage the nation. If we can spend billions of dollars on one virus, I certainly hope we can rally to help spark policy stage and provide aid and resources in support of another pressing health crisis. The government is failing, current laws and treatments are doing more harm than good, lives are being lost, but we have the ability to make a difference.
Favourite Quotes:
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