Dismantle stigma, stay connected and have good conversations: that's what's necessary to keep Surrey youth safe from addiction and overdose, according to a panel of experts who spoke to an auditorium of parents, students and community members on Tuesday night.
The event, hosted at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, featured a panel of representatives from Surrey RCMP, Fraser Health, Pacific Community Resources Society and Surrey Safe Schools.
Andra Dunn, a mother who lost one of her twin sons to an overdose in 2014, opened the night by speaking about her loss.
The last time she had been in Lord Tweedsmuir's auditorium, she watched her sons' band win "Tweedy Idol," a talent competition. On Tuesday night, she returned to share her son's story; his life, his accomplishments, his opiate addiction and his death.
As she spoke to a theatre filled with more than 100 audience members, her son Jermaine's celebration of life video played behind her: pictures of twin toddlers in matching overalls, grinning; Jermaine, a newborn, asleep on his father's chest.
"The pain is with me every day," she said.
With the increase in overdoses in Surrey, Dunn said she believed now, more than ever, was the time to raise awareness about youth drug use and promote open conversations between parents and their kids.
"I think people should start talking about it now. The stigma should be let go. If you have a problem, tell somebody. If you know somebody that has a problem, tell somebody," said Dunn.
"Help is not that far away, you just have to reach out for it," said Dunn.
Open, honest communication
Throughout the evening, Dunn and the panelists came back to the same theme: open, honest communication with youth about drug use is the best preventative measure.
"Sometimes kids are embarrassed to tell us something," said Nancy Smith, Youth Adversity Liaison for Surrey Safe Schools. "They're ashamed, they don't want us to let us down. So we need to make sure kids know that every adult in (their school) is here to keep them safe."
"We need to provide real information, to stay connected and to direct kids to get help. We need them to understand the different reasons people use drugs," she said.
Overdose deaths in BC on rise
Surrey RCMP Sgt. Neil Kennedy shared overdose statistics with the crowd. He pointed to a comparatively low amount of overdoses in youth, and emphasized that now was the time to promote education and awareness, for parents and their kids, as "any number is too high."
"It's no longer good enough for us to 'just say no,'" he said. "That 'no' has to come with education."
"There is nothing clean about how street drugs are made. They are made in basements, garages and shacks. I've even seen them made in the back of cars," said Kennedy. "The people making these drugs are not chemists, nor are they concerned about the ingredients that they use as additives. All they care about is money."
"If they can minimize the amount of drug that they have to put in, they'll do it. And that's why fentanyl is becoming so prominent," he said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the BC Coroners Service released their year-end report on illicit drug deaths in the province. December's numbers were the highest ever recorded in a single month in BC, with 142 overdose deaths, an average of nine every two days. It's more than double the average number from 2015.
The majority of fatal overdoses occurred in men between the ages of 30 and 49. However, in 2016, there were 12 fatal overdoses in youth between the ages of 10 and 18 and 201 between the ages of 19 and 29.
Have the conversation
"If you're afraid to have the conversation, you're adding to the stigma," said Melita Caissie, a speaker from Pacific Community Resources Society. "Substance use is about all of us. It's a community issue."
Audience members asked the panel how to approach the discussion with their kids. Dunn emphasized staying connected.
"Try to keep the doors open," said Dunn. "Talk about it. Talk about it at breakfast, make funnies about it, joke about it. Whatever you have to do."
Kennedy said to "stick to the facts" and to avoid scare tactics or exaggeration. "Be a good listener," he said. "Let your kids have a platform where it's safe to ask questions. Look for information, seek guidance and respect their opinions."
Resources
For more information on resources available to help youth, or any person, who is using substances, visit www.surrey.ca or the Pacific Community Resources Society at http://www.pcrs.ca/.
Teens are encouraged to reach out to trusted counsellors, administrators or teachers at their school to talk about any concerns they might have and get connected to people who can help.
Youth can also access online resources, such as mindcheck.ca, or call the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.