Vancouver Forum for Dialogue: Stigma and Addiction

This event is brought to you by a group of service providers allied against the stigmatization and discrimination of people who live with drug addiction. Stigma is the labeling of people in ‘less-than’ ways that diminishes dignity, promotes shame, and reduces their value in society. In the health care system, stigma creates barriers to responsive and quality service, makes people reluctant to seek help, and affects funding allocation. Stigma limits possibility for the individual, the community, and society as a whole. This is a call to action! We are inviting people who use drugs, those that support them, service providers, hospital staff, community groups, levels of government, and police to a round table discussion. The goal of the discussion is to develop alliances and an action plan designed to expand awareness and decrease the stigma and discrimination associated with drug addiction. Please join us! RSVP to [email protected] by Monday, July 21, 2008. We hope to see you there!