The NDP wants action taken to deal with an increasing number of drug poisoning deaths in Alberta.
Mental Health and Addictions Critic Lori Sigurdson says the province should be expanding the usage of supervised consumption sites.
“No one has ever lost their life at a supervised consumption site. They’re monitored and supported to make sure that these toxic street drugs don’t take their lives. The UCP is going the completely wrong direction on this one, it’s just based on some personal preferences of the premier and his minister and not following the evidence at all.”
Sigurdson says there needs to be better access to drug treatment programs, especially in rural areas.
“Certainly the major centre, Grande Prairie, in your area really needs to have a supervised consumption site. We know that people in the trades are quite vulnerable. It seems like in your area the highest number of deaths are actually trade workers. It’s really heartbreaking of course.”
We talked to Sigurdson on the Trending 55 Hot Seat, you can hear that full discussion below.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
