Southern Alberta's Blood Tribe launches campaign to prevent opioid-related deaths

A water tower looms over Stand Off, Alta., Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Local artists from the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta are contributing their work to a campaign taking on one of the biggest crises the nation has faced in years.

A poster and billboard campaign in the community near Lethbridge has been launched in response to the opioid crisis.

Its goal is to stop the misuse of opioids and reduce the number of opioid-related deaths on the Blood Tribe.

All of the artwork involved in the project was created by artists with input from front-line workers, medical professionals and people with lived experience.

"One of the strongest messages that we've been getting from the community – we've been hearing it from leadership, we've been hearing it from Elders all over our community – is let's work together as a community," said Blair Russell, communications officer with the Blood Tribe and one of the contributing artists.

"I think that's one of the most impactful statement that we could make as a community; we're here to care for each other."

In April, the Blood Tribe Police Service put together a specialized task force to combat the increase of opioid deaths that officials say were due to a batch of bad drugs brought into the community.

For the six-month period it operated, the task force made eight arrests and seized a significant quantity of drugs.

Officials say the number of overdose calls also dropped dramatically – from 26 per month to six.

The billboard is on display at Red Crow Park along Highway 2 in Standoff.