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Orangeville to host event for Drug Poisoning Awareness Day

August 20, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Dufferin-Caledon Drug Strategy Committee (DCDSC) will host a Drug Poisoning Awareness Day event Aug. 31, bringing community members together to remember lives lost to drug poisoning, hear from people with lived experience and learn about local supports.

The event runs from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Tony Rose Centre in Orangeville.

Raman Hansra, co-chair of the DCDSC, said that it is open to anyone interested in learning more about drug poisoning and its impact on individuals, families and the wider community.

“Drug poisoning means becoming seriously ill, having a negative reaction of some kind, or dying after consuming a toxic substance,” she said. “After the event, we’d hope people better understand the impact of drug poisoning, the importance of reducing stigma, and more information about resources and support.”

The afternoon will begin with a land acknowledgement, followed by an opening ceremony and a presentation led by Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health’s associate medical officer of health, examining local data and the evolving unregulated drug supply.

Guest speakers, including people with lived and living experience, will share perspectives on the realities and impacts of drug poisoning.

Jacob MacKinlay, fellow co-chair, said that those personal experiences are an important part of understanding an issue that cannot be fully captured through research and statistics alone.

“The purpose of holding these events each year is not only to increase community awareness of the unregulated drug supply, but also to create meaningful and supportive spaces for those who may need them,” MacKinlay said.

“It is important that these events include the voices of people with lived and living experience who can speak to the realities and magnitude of the current situation. While we have access to research, data, and best practices, hearing directly from people about their experiences can bring a level of understanding, connection, and impact that information alone cannot always provide.”

The event will also feature naloxone training and opportunities to connect with community partners working in addictions and mental health, child and youth services, gender-based violence prevention, women’s services, health, housing and other sectors.

Rather than traditional organization-by-organization booths, this year’s event is designed to put people and their experiences at the centre. Shared resource tables will provide information about available programs and services while allowing more space for conversation and connection.

Interactive activities will include collaborative zine-making, bracelet-making and a short multiple-choice knowledge activity focused on substance use. Participants can use writing and art to reflect on the impact of drug poisoning, respond to prompts and share their thoughts.

MacKinlay said that they are using the term “drug poisoning” rather than “overdose” as part of an effort to reduce stigma and more accurately reflect the unpredictable nature of the unregulated drug supply.

“The shift from ‘overdose’ to ‘drug poisoning’ is also intended to reduce stigma by moving away from language that can imply someone simply took ‘too much’ or made a personal mistake,” he said. “Similar to how we say alcohol poisoning, not ‘alcohol overdose’, the term ‘drug poisoning’ focuses on the harmful effects of a substance, especially in an unpredictable drug supply, rather than placing blame on the person who used it.”

The committee hopes attendees leave with a better understanding of drug poisoning, less stigma and greater awareness of how they can support people and families in their community.

Hansra said that the event is intended for the entire community, not only those directly affected by substance use. Organizers say no personal connection or expertise is required.

“You don’t have to personally feel connected to the issue to attend,” she said. “Drug poisoning affects so many individuals and families in our community, and we are all part of that broader community. This is an opportunity to learn, understand and support each other.”

The afternoon is an opportunity to learn, reflect, remember those who have died and build more open and compassionate conversations about drug poisoning, prevention, harm reduction and community support.

As the unregulated drug supply continues to change, organizers say awareness and education remain important tools for helping Dufferin-Caledon respond to the ongoing impact of drug poisoning.

For more information and updates, visit:

familytransitionplace.ca/2026/08/drug-poisoning-awareness-day-event

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