Purple ribbons, white roses to be placed around Edmonton to honour victims of opioids
Members of Edmonton's medical community are spearheading a movement this weekend to honour lives lost to opioids in and around the city.
Purple ribbons and white roses will be placed around 76 communities in Edmonton, Wetaskiwin and Ponoka.
It's part of opioid memorial weekend, a campaign the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association hopes will create awareness about the opioid crisis in Alberta.
"We want people to understand that every death, every poisoning death is a preventable tragedy," said Edmonton Medical Zone Association's Dr. Ginetta Salvaggio. "We want that acknowledged."
Each memorial is meant to pay tribute to the neighbourhoods that have lost a community member to that "preventable tragedy."
One local bar owner heard about the cause and felt the need to take part.
"This isn't just happening in the downtown core, this is happening to your neighbor," Darren McGeown told CTV News Edmonton. "Something needs to be done and it starts here in our communities."
"We are seeing an ongoing escalation of opioid poisoning deaths in the Edmonton zone," Dr. Salvaggio said.
According to the Government of Alberta's Substance Use Surveillance System, opioid-related deaths have increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province's statistics show in July of 2019 there were 21 opioid-related deaths in Edmonton. In July of 2020, 59 opioid-related deaths were reported in the city, and 55 were reported this past July.
Last week, a new app designed to save opioid users from overdosing was launched by the province in Edmonton.
The Alberta government said it was also exploring options for new supervised consumption services in "underserved" areas in Edmonton.
Dr. Salvaggio points to the elimination of supervised consumption sites as a cause for the uptick in overdoses, an epidemic she hopes to turn around.
"We are wanting to highlight how broad the reach of this poisoning emergency is."
The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association says the memorials will be neatly disposed of by the end of the weekend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.