Car rally aims to drive away drug use stigma
CTV
Decked-out in purple, motorists in everything from hot rods to an old Ford pickup rolled around Richmond on Sunday, hoping to drive away stigma around toxic drug use.
Decked-out in purple, motorists in everything from hot rods to an old Ford pickup rolled around Richmond on Sunday, hoping to drive away stigma around toxic drug use.
The event, called Drive to Destigmatize, coincided with a grim anniversary: when B.C. declared the overdose crisis a public health emergency eight years ago.
“The reality is, people are dying in their homes,” said organizer Trevor Tablotney.
“My brother went to work, he went home, he did drugs, he was playing Fortnite at the time, and he passed away,” he told CTV News.
Tablotney argued that people forget that addicts and users come from all walks of life, and can be rich or poor.
The event is designed to let drug users know that there are people who can offer support, and that they are not alone.
“It’s easy for the suburbs to ignore this problem, but the problem is everywhere,” he said.
