Monday night, loving mothers & friends met at Medicis in Oliver to honour their children lost to drug harms and to create purple ribbons to place around the town for International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st.

By drawing specific attention to Overdose Awareness the mothers hope to reduce drug stigma and shame. In addition the town will display purple lights on various buildings around town: The Legion, Movie Theatre, Town Hall etc.

Local businesses will tie purple ribbons. This is part of a Canada wide initiative to draw attention to the grim Canadian overdose crisis. The Overdose pandemic has impacted more Canadians than all Covid deaths.

176 deaths in B.C. in the month of July alone from illicit drug overdoses. 
This is a mental health crisis not a criminal statistic!

Picture and article submitted by Joanne Ruhland