Fatal overdoses from opioids and other illicit drugs are now the leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 18 in British Columbia, a development that underscores the urgency of the province’s toxic drug crisis. The numbers are trending in the same direction in provinces across the country. Clearly, youth drug and alcohol addiction is a crisis that must be faced and approached through education and counseling.
Andrew Laugher is a 23 years old who has struggled with addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. Through the support of a counselor, Andrew embarked on a journey through recovery and is now a peer supporter worker with Community Addiction Services of Niagara (CASON). His lived experience can help inform us about what needs to be done to help more youth from dying from overdoses. It is the crisis of our time and it needs our absolute focus.