BC's Youth Drug Crisis: A Call for Action

0:00It's April 22, from your city to your ears. This is Calgary News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. British Columbia's representative for children and youth just dropped a tough report on the toxic drug crisis hitting kids hardest. Since the province declared a public health emergency 10 years ago, 232 people aged 18 and younger have died from overdoses. That's a staggering toll on the youngest among us, turning families upside down. Survivors face even bigger battles, with sky-high rates of brain injuries from those close calls. Kids using drugs also endure a flood of assault, especially sexual ones, plus exploitation and trafficking. The system has seen some gains in services, but mental health and disability issues pile on and demand way outpaces what's available. Folks are reeling from this reality, where young teens as early as 12 are playing Russian roulette with poison street drugs. Jennifer Charles Worth, the rep, is calling out the explosion of stigma, blame, and misinformation

1:02that scaring people away from helping. Polarized debates and moral panic are drowning out evidence-based fixes. She's been pushing for a full-on comprehensive plan since 2018, blending harm reduction with treatment options. Even with provincial efforts wrapping up help in spots, the gaps remain wide for youth and crisis. This crisis has claimed over 18,000 lives in BC overall, but the youngest pay the heaviest price. We got to bridge those support gaps before. More kids slip through, stay aware out there.