A new campaign has been launched to help tackle the opioid crisis in Windsor-Essex.
It's called the 'Label Me Person' anti-stigma campaign, designed by the AIDS Committee of Windsor.
Executive director Michael Brennan says there needs to be a cultural shift in how we talk about the opioid crisis.
According to Public Health Ontario, 22 people in Windsor-Essex died from an opioid overdose in the first three months of this year. That is double the number from the same period in 2018.
The data also shows there were 51 opioid-related deaths in Windsor-Essex last year.
The local campaign highlights the story of six different people who will share stories on a mobile display which will move around the community over the course of the year.
The campaign also calls for 24 public education workshops to increase awareness of harm reduction, opioids and naloxone, and consumption sites and treatment services.
It also encourages people to stop using terms like addict or junkie, and instead identify them as people who use substances.
"We need to remember that substance use disorder is a medical condition and it requires professional help," says Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed. "For the majority of people, it is not a choice."
Brennan adds they will gather feedback through surveys and focus groups about the community attitudes and perception on substance abuse.
The campaign was created after they met with different groups including Ford City Renewal, the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative and the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid Substance Strategy Leadership Committee.
Public Health Ontario says Windsor-Essex has the seventh highest rate of people who use opioids in Ontario.
