Forget the cliché of the young drifter in an alley who dies of an overdose with a syringe in his arm: the current hecatomb of drug overdoses affects all age groups and all facets of society.
Montreal public health says the current overdose situation in the city is affecting a range of ages and backgrounds. There were a record 175 fatal overdoses over the last year, and new data shows 77 per cent of them happened at home.
On International Overdose Awareness Day, advocates are calling for the opening of more safe injection sites and the decriminalization of drug possession.
A Montreal harm reduction group has mounted a legal challenge to Quebec’s curfew, arguing it puts intravenous drug users at risk. On Friday, a judge rejected the request for an emergency injunction.