Pubdate: Thu, 10 Feb 2011
Source: Monday Magazine (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Monday Publications
Contact: http://mondaymag.com/contact/
Website: http://www.mondaymag.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1150
Author: Danielle Pope
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?163 (HIV/AIDS)

STIGMAS NOT NICE

AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI) is suffering a little heat from media 
after jumping on board with a U.K. campaign that's doing it's 
damndest to raise awareness around drug stigmas.

The campaign, which uses the slogan "Nice people take drugs," was 
removed from buses in the U.K. but has taken off with success in 
Victoria. This week, AVI even hung a banner from their office window. 
"The media plays a huge role in how we perceived drug users, and even 
the way this campaign has been covered so far has been from the 
perspective that this is something really controversial," says Andrea 
Langlois, AVI's manager of communications and community relations and 
research. "What the statistics are showing us is that drug use is 
much more common that we typically think."

AVI is using the campaign to join forces with Harm Reduction Victoria 
(HRV) and other organizations around Victoria during Anti-Stigma 
Week, which runs until Feb. 14.

According to Health Canada's 2009 Canadian Alcohol and Drug Using 
Survey, 48.6 per cent of people living in B.C. report having used 
illegal drugs in their lifetime. Of these, 47.5 per cent say they've 
used cannabis, while 20.4 per cent have used cocaine/crack, speed, 
ecstasy, hallucinogens, or heroin. "The real point of this campaign 
is to get people realizing that drug use does not only happen on the 
street level, and does not make users 'bad people,'" Langlois says. 
"The more we get that discussion going, and the more we knock the 
stigma out of it, we've found the more people will come forward to 
get the help they need, not fearing judgement from others."

And speaking of breaking down stigmas, HRV and the Society of Living 
Intravenous Drug Users (S.O.L.I.D.) are hosting Victoria's first 
"Vigil and Procession for the Victims and Survivors of the War on 
Drugs." The vigil will take place Friday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. in 
Centennial Square. Candles will be provided.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom