50,928 apparent opioid toxicity deaths.
That’s the number of Canadians who died of opioid overdoses between January 2016 and June 2024.
Sure, you can blame the drug dealers, the drugs themselves, the people using the drugs, and even their upbringing. But stigma also plays a role in these deaths.
So, what is stigma? The dictionary describes it as a “stain” or mark of shame, and “a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.” According to the Government of Canada, “stigma includes discrimination, prejudice, judgment and stereotypes, which can isolate people who use drugs.”
Why does this matter? Because when people feel shame, they may not ask for help. Or they may hide their drug use. This puts them at higher risk of harm because if no one knows they have a problem, they can overdose without anyone knowing or helping them start breathing again, through CPR and naloxone.
Stigma affects people in other ways too. Self-stigma is the worst because it means you believe you aren’t good enough and might make you want to just give up. Stigma from other people may mean that you can’t find housing (a human right!) or experience more struggles with daily interactions with people in your lives or the community.
The government and activists say one way to reduce stigma against people who struggle with drugs is to use language that puts the person before the action. So instead of referring to someone as an addict or junkie, you say ‘person who uses drugs.’ You stick to facts, not emotions or judgments. This goes for other things, by way.
Destigmatize people.
I learned about the effects of stigma first-hand when I did street outreach with my mom at a volunteer organization (Wisteria Community Association) during the pandemic. I was 11 when I started. I would make coffees and hand out “goodie bags” filled with necessities like toothbrushes and deodorant. I’ll never forget the look of shame on their faces as I handed bags out, shame that comes from the assumption someone so young would judge their situation. But when they realized I wasn’t judging and only wanted to help them, they were friendly. Some gave me advice, some gave small gifts, like some kind of treasure they found on the street. When I would come to volunteer, people would yell “there’s a kid on the street–no swearing!” or “there’s a kid on the street–put your drugs away.”
Shame is a core component of overdoses. People are more than just their addictions. They’re mothers and fathers, they are somebody’s child struggling alone, locked in a room where those walls of hurt keep caving in name after name.
This ends now. All I ask is to show a little more compassion for these people surviving the deadliest human weapon which is our words. Let’s stand together and fight for our humanity since some people forget–we are all human, and we all deserve to be treated like one.
By Talah Bodner
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