Overdose Awareness Manitoba calling for safe supply to help prevent overdose deaths

Pictures of black balloons are hung from a tree to remember people who died from drug overdoses. (Source: Gary Robson/CTV News)

Sunday marked Black Balloon Day, a day recognized around the world to remember those who have died from an overdose or substance-related harm.

Overdose Awareness Manitoba marked the day in Winnipeg by hanging pictures of balloons and ribbons to mark each life lost.

Organizers said more than 1,600 people have died from drug-related harm since 2015 and that number continues to rise.

"These black ribbons are people. These are our loved ones. These are all people we have lost," said Arlene Last-Kolb, co-founder of Overdose Awareness Manitoba.

Last year in Manitoba Last-Kolb said the overdose death rate averaged out to one person a day and that is expected to increase this year to two people every day.

Overdose Awareness Manitoba is calling on the provincial government to help with this crisis and first start by offering a safe supply, adding right now the drug supply in the province is poisoned.

"Of course, we all want treatments. We all want help. But we have to keep them alive and I think that if we are not talking about safe supply we are really missing the point."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic Last-Kolb said overdose numbers have gone up because the supply of drugs has increased and space for treatments has dropped.

"COVID has had a real effect on things, but this was something that was happening long before COVID. Numbers have gone up because the toxic supply has gone up. Again, if we really want to do something, we should talk about the supply first."

She said she has been advocating for a long time and it is frustrating to see nothing change, adding Manitoba is falling behind.

"They need to learn about harm reduction."