By Michelle Gamage, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Tyee Toxic drug deaths for First Nations peoples decreased by 6.8 per cent in British Columbia between 2023 and 2024. This “shows us what we are doing, particularly in the area of harm reduction, is helping,” said Dr. Nel Wieman, chief medical officer of the First Nations Health Authority. Harm reduction for First Nations communities means “getting to the root wounds that make people turn to substances to cope and really undoing those harms of colonialism,” added Celeta Cook, executive director for FNHA public health response. While the decrease in fatalities offers some relief, data shows First Nations peoples are still being disproportionately impacted by the toxic drug supply, Wieman said. She spoke to the media on Monday, marking the ninth anniversary…
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