Every single day Melanie Cunningham dreads shesa国际传媒檒l get a knock on the door or a phone call in the middle of the night with the news that her son has overdosed on fentanyl.

Itsa国际传媒檚 why, as she fastened a sign to fencing outside Victoriasa国际传媒檚 Fairmont Empress hotel on Tuesday morning, the mother was joined by other members of Moms Stop the Harm.

sa国际传媒淚 know several moms who have lost their adult children because of fentanyl poisoning, and I could be next, and that makes me sad and angry,sa国际传媒� Cunningham said. sa国际传媒�(My son is) an addict, he didnsa国际传媒檛 choose this life, however, it is his life until he gets the right kind of help.sa国际传媒�

That help could be determined by Canadasa国际传媒檚 premiers who were inside the Empress for health-care-dominated Council of the Federation meetings.

sa国际传媒淲e want to be out front and centre and let them know that wesa国际传媒檙e not going away, we want them to make changes,sa国际传媒� Cunningham said. sa国际传媒淲e want all of Canada to take action.sa国际传媒�

Knowing the next use could be the one that kills her son means the mothersa国际传媒檚 life is an endless nightmare, so shesa国际传媒檚 pleading for leaders to ensure access to the safe supply.

READ:

READ:

Cunninghamsa国际传媒檚 sonsa国际传媒檚 vicious cycle of being in and out of detox and treatment programs with no success doesnsa国际传媒檛 come as a surprise to Ben Goerner, a former counsellor of 30 years who worked in such programs.

sa国际传媒淚 can tell you that over half of the people that go for treatment the first time come out and relapse, and theysa国际传媒檙e going to relapse on a toxic substance,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 the problem, we need to get rid of the toxicity.sa国际传媒�

So while treatment can be one tool in the life-saving arsenal, Goerner, another Moms Stop the Harm campaigner, showed up on Tuesday to sa国际传媒済et the government to provide a safer supply to stem the tide of death thatsa国际传媒檚 happening.sa国际传媒�

Even though holding 2.5 grams of street drugs will be decriminalized in B.C. next January, he wanted to keep pressure on the premiers and push for greater legal personal possession amounts.

Camille Currie, founder of B.C. Health Care Matters, led a separate group of sign-waving ralliers outside where the premiers were meeting.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e here today to make our message very clear, that every resident in B.C deserves timely access to a family doctor and we do not have that in this province,sa国际传媒� she said, adding that four deaths a day could be linked back to the lacking primary care options.

The doctor shortage in communities across the province is exacerbating problems in the overall health-care system, she said, pointing to emergency room wait times, backlogged cancer and cardiac treatments and a lack of prenatal care.

sa国际传媒淭his issue is dire, there is no other word for it, and we need action now.sa国际传媒�

READ: