Public consumption Q & A sessions meant to destroy stigma

“It’s for absolutely anybody in our community who wants to ask some questions,” says Corey Ranger, clinical lead for HIV community link. “Maybe they’ve heard something and they want more information about it, maybe they don’t know anything about supervised consumption services at all.”

The foundation also aims to gather information from those who attend, using that data when designing future programs.

The first Q & A was hosted last Tuesday, and it attracted a variety of people asking a variety of questions. Inquiries about legislation and technicalities around a safe consumption site were common, in addition to questions about volunteer and work.

Ranger says a safe consumption site in Medicine Hat is just steps away. For now, the foundation has to find and confirm a location before anything moves forward.

On average, 2 people die every day in Alberta from an opioid overdose, and Ranger says destroying the stigma could make a huge difference.

“When people don’t have the right information, that’s when anxiety gets a little higher, that’s when fear gets a little bit higher and that’s also where stigmatization comes from, and stigma’s really deadly to our population, it’s what causes them to use in silence or in the darkness, it’s what causes them to not access services when they need it so we need to make sure we change the dialogue on substance abuse in Medicine Hat.”

The events are hosted from 6 to 8 p.m. on every Tuesday of November, and registration is required.

To register or learn more about the sessions, email supervisedconsumption@hivcl.org or visit www.medicinehatscs.com.

by Jessie Weisner

Public consumption Q & A sessions meant to destroy stigma

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