August 31 is Drug Poisoning Awareness Day, a time to remember the people we've lost to the drug toxicity crisis and to stand with the families, friends and communities who grieve.  

It is also a time to recognize the difficult realities faced by people who use drugs and the families, friends and communities around them.

In 2025, 38 people in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph died from suspected drug poisonings. To date in 2026, 28 people have died. Each loss is devastating. Each person was a friend, family member, neighbour and valued member of our community. Each had relationships, struggles, hopes, and lives that mattered.

For many people, the experience of substance use is marked by uncertainty, stigma, illness and repeated crises. Families and friends can spend years worrying about someone they love. Service providers are often supporting people through extraordinarily difficult circumstances, where there may be no simple or immediate solution.

We have been dealing with the drug toxicity crisis for more than a decade, but the crisis itself continues to change. New substances, unpredictable combinations and increased potency contribute to unexpected poisonings and other harms. These changes alter how this crisis looks and place new pressures on the organizations and communities working to respond.

There are some encouraging signs that opioid-related deaths may have declined since the worst days of this crisis. If that trend continues, it would be very welcome. But deaths are only one measure of the impact of substance use. People continue to experience non-fatal poisonings, injuries, infections, mental illness, housing instability and other harms that can profoundly affect their lives and the lives of those around them. For families and friends, that can mean living with persistent worry, responding to repeated crises, and carrying the emotional toll of trying to support someone they love.

There is no single solution to a crisis this complex. However, any effective response must be compassionate, creative and collaborative, and it must be willing to evolve as circumstances change. We need immediate harm reduction, supports that address broader social and health factors that affect people’s lives and well-being, and accessible treatment and recovery services.

The many organizations and service providers working on this issue have learned a great deal over the past decade, often under very difficult circumstances. We need to build on that experience while continuing to ask meaningful questions, look honestly at what is and is not working, and remain willing to adapt.

I am extremely grateful to the many community organizations and service providers who continue to shape and deliver programs that meet individuals where they are. WDG Public Health remains committed to working closely with our partners, supporting effective responses to substance-related harms, and sharing information with people throughout our communities.

Drug Poisoning Awareness Day is one opportunity to acknowledge the profound impact of this crisis, but our commitment must continue throughout the year. Today, I invite everyone to remember those we have lost, support those who are grieving, and stand with the individuals and families who continue to be affected by substance use.

Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, MD CCFP MPH FRCPC 
Associate Medical Officer of Health

Media Contact:
Jessica Anselmini
1-800-265-7293 ext. 4377
Jessica.anselmini@wdgpublichealth.ca