Fighting fentanyl on the Blood Tribe indigenous reserve

Angela Misri
Aug 24, 2017 · 1 min read

It’s so rare that we read a good-news story in the fight against fentanyl abuse, but the Blood Tribe in Alberta has made real headway. The tribe lost 35 people to overdoses last year, and as many as 35 children were removed by social services. Those are big numbers for a tribe of 7,500.

But through organized community action, overdose kits, two confidential hotlines and a system to help recovering addicts, heroes like Dr. Esther Tailfeathers have slowed the crisis.

Read more about their progress here: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2016/0705/How-Canada-s-Blood-Tribe-brought-opiate-overdose-deaths-down-to-zero

150 Days of Turtle Island

Like many Canadians, I’m of two minds when it comes to celebrating the Canada 150 because I want to be an ally to my First Nations brothers and sisters. This is my solution: 150 days of giving up my space to First Nations facts, artists, heroes and historical figures.

)
Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade