People across Grey and Bruce Counties are invited to a Town Hall meeting tonight at Owen Sound City Hall aimed at addressing the opioid crisis. The Grey Bruce Health Unit Harm Reduction Manager says in 2017 and 2018 in Grey and Bruce Counties, we lost 18 people to overdose and 170 others were treated for an overdose at hospital emergency rooms. Ian Reich says The Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy will share current information, efforts and interventions that are underway to aid in the opioid epidemic. He says participants can hear from people who have lived through addiction, including a military member who was prescribed opioid for an injury. "So his story really touches home with those that do struggle with addiction, who have started from prescriptions, from their physician, and the sort of aftermath of what the potential effect is surrounding the effects of addiction," explained Reich.
"People struggling with addiction are people like you, people like me. They're people we work with on a daily basis. It's not that stereotypical back alley type drug user. That's actually not the majority of people that are struggling with addiction.
People can also speak with Police, EMS, Public Health and Mental Health and Addiction Services. Tonight's session runs from 6:30 to 8:30 at Owen Sound City Hall.
UPCOMING TOWNHALLS:
Tuesday October 8
6:30 – 8:30 pm
John Diefenbaker Senior School, 201 18th Ave., Hanover
Tuesday, October 22
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Peninsula Shores District School, 115 George St., Wiarton
Tuesday October 29
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Northport Elementary School, 1000 Waterloo St,
Port Elgin
