Addiction Awareness

As we approach the end of another year and the holiday season, many families in Canada will experience the heartache of celebrating without a loved one who has died from a drug overdose. News stories often highlight addicts living in homeless encampments, prompting debates about whether this should be allowed. However, as a society, we must ask ourselves what actions we are taking to address this issue. Every person living on the streets is someone's son or daughter. Despite the poor choices they may have made, they are still our children and need our support.

As we lead our busy lives and time steadily moves forward, nothing quite emphasizes the passage of years like receiving an invitation to my 50th Graduation Reunion in June. It's hard to believe how swiftly time has passed since 1974. There are countless events and individuals to recall, evoking both joyous reminiscences and sombre recollections of challenging times.

Drug addiction is not something we can turn a blind eye to. We need to advocate for anyone suffering with an addiction and treat them with compassion and kindness.  Often times addicts are living on the street, and they need shelter, food and support, so that they can feel safe and cared for.  Drug dependency may manifest as a result of personal injury, excessive opioid prescriptions, job loss, challenges with mental health, abuse, or the inability to afford housing.