Message from the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health – National Addictions Awareness Week
Statement
November 25, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Health Canada
This week is National Addictions Awareness Week, a time for Canadians to learn more about substance use and addiction and how we can support people looking for help. We remember those who have lost their lives to an overdose and their loved ones. It is a reminder that every person who overdoses is somebody who has a family, and people that care about them.
This year’s theme is “forging connection” which underscores the importance of collaboration between all orders of governments, care providers, first responders, families, and those with lived and living experiences. Forging a connection with someone struggling can often be their lifeline.
No one chooses to develop an addiction. It is a treatable medical condition that affects the brain, and like any other health issue is deserving of compassion and care.
As part of the Government of Canada’s actions to reduce harm related to substance use, the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, outlines Canada’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and other substance use-related harms.
If you would like to learn more about substance use in Canada, our government has launched a number of public education efforts. The Ease the Burden campaign is aimed at men working in the trades, who are statistically more impacted by substance use and addiction than any other industry. The Know More Opioids public awareness initiative for youth is continuing to raise awareness and teach young people about the risks of opioid use, how to recognize the signs of an overdose, how to use naloxone, and on the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act. These sessions are delivered in-person and virtually, in high schools across the country.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or substance use, know that you are not alone and you matter. Whenever you are ready, there are free and confidential resources and services available in your home province or territory that can help, found at Canada.ca/mental-health. Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate, culturally appropriate mental health counseling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous People across Canada, available 24/7. Counselling services are provided in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut, ensuring support that respects and honors cultural needs.
There is no one approach to addiction treatment and recovery. Everyone is on their own path. We need to be there for people who are struggling with a full range of services and supports to help them towards recovery. By forging understanding and compassion together, we can break down the stigma around substance use, and create a supportive environment where everyone feels empowered to connect and heal.
The Honourable Ya’ara Saks, P.C., M.P.
Contacts
Callum Haney
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
343-576-4407
Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca