Drug Addiction in Northern First Nations
In the fall of 2010, SLFNHA (Sioux Lookout F.N. Health Assoc.) and the Chiefs Committee on Health started working on a film project on opiate drug abuse. This film is based on a young womans struggle with drug addiction in her community of Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope), which is 360km north of Thunder Bay, ON. This First Nation is only accessible by plane and ice roads in the winter.
As I was watching this documentary it saddened me on how many First Nations in isolated communities lack Government assistance for help and treatment solutions. This particular First Nation has experienced opiate or oxycontin abuse within the past 3 to 4 years. Many gangs from the Thunder Bay region had started smuggling this drug into this community. One pill (oxycontin) sells at $400 per pill. About 80% of their young people are addicted to this drug. Many young mothers and others will spend their money on this drug instead of buying food and basic necessities for their children and rely on parents or other family members to buy food.
Most of these northern First Nations do have services provided but are not specialized in treatment. Access and treatment or detox in the north is difficult. Many Health services afforded to other Canadians are often non existent on reserves, so they struggle alone without adequate help. The number of people asking to get treatment is high, its become the norm according to one of the social workers in the community. It may take up to a year or even longer to get approval to attend a treatment facility. However, it is not easy to get into these treatment centres, many get rejected and have to apply to other facilities. Also, if one does get accepted some young moms have to put their children in care while attending treatment.
Police services reported increases in crime and have been linked to the use of oxycontin. It was reported that in 2005 there were approximately 13,000 calls made to police and has increased to about 20,000 in 2010 in close nit northern First Nations. The community of Fort Hope had declared a state of emergency because of 47 arsons, 61 assaults, 73 drug related calls and 3 murders. Not only does Fort Hope and other northern First Nations suffer with prescription drug abuse it has increased in the south and across Canada and has become an epidemic in North America with native and non-native peoples. More social programs and policies have to be put in place to fight this growing epidemic. There also needs to be more funding to assist northern communities.
Thanks,
Jennifer (nish group)
References:
Hi Jennifer, thanks for sharing this topic and bringing awareness to our group. This is a drug that is destroying our people and it seems that the government on every level do not want anything to do with this epidemic. It is real and our children are danger because once a person is addicted to this they will stop at nothing to get there next fix. They have no control, no self worth to them selves or others, and the law is the least thing on their minds. I feel like if action in these communities are not taken to get the drug out of the community, there will be no community.
ReplyDeleteTammy
I find it very disheartening that the Anishnaabe community is basically left to fend for themselves. They are being offered very minimal in terms of assistance when in my opinion they sometimes need the most. The government is supposed to be an institution that someone can look to for support in times when they feel lost or do not know where else to go. The suffering that the government is allowing to happen in some areas is disgusting to me. What is more important; filling potholes or saving a culture of people who have been part of this eart for centuries?
ReplyDeleteKristin*
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI believe those who are apart of fly in communities deserve as much governmental assistance as those in road accessible areas. I feel that the government views sending help towards fly in communities as more difficult, which it is. But, because of this problem, the government refuses to provide assistance to these First Nations people because they refuse to find a way to make rehabilitation facilities available. I believe that northern communities suffering from drug addiction deserve to be provided with social assistance and support as an opportunity to begin rebuilding their lives if they choose to do so. I also believe there needs to be more security protection sent to these northern communities to prevent drugs from slipping into them. It would be a huge step if temporary rehabilitation centres could be raised in order to help these people with workers willing to travel to these communities. Since this particular area has so many young First Nations dealing with drug abuse, I believe that the government should look to more permanent ways of building towards helping and healing these First Nations in fly in communities.
- Kara (poverty group)
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI am shocked at the statistic of 80% of young people within this community is addicted to oxycotin. To me that sounds more like an epidemic that is not being addressed. The youth are the future and I can't help but think about how debilitating that is to the community. There are is a serious need for a for more funding into these communities as you mentioned but i also think there is a need for that they funding to include payment for educated, empathic and caring workers to be trained from the community. Often times i feel the community is best support system and we should really value that.
Hoda
This topic is a epidemic on the rise, Oxycontin, percacet, seems to be the new drug of choice for must young people today. Most of these young people don't realize how highly addictive these drugs really are. Navigating through the system is a very difficult task to do because a lot of these people are not only addicted to these drugs they also co -ocurring disorder along with the addiction. Many treatment places do have lengthy waiting lists to get services, something needs to be done now, today to better assist those in need of treatment.
ReplyDeleteThanks Allison