Addiction support charity pop-up gives overdose advice

Jason McKee, Louise McCougan and Mark Cromwell from Motiv8 will be at the pop-up stand

A Manx addiction support charity is highlighting the importance of knowing how to deal with a drug overdose with a pop-up stand in the Isle of Man's capital.

Representatives of Motiv8 Addiction Services will be available at Strand Street's junction with Howard Street in Douglas from 10:00 to 16:00 BST to mark overdose awareness day.

The organisation is urging those with a drug dependency, and their friends and family, to make sure they know how do deal with the situation.

Free naloxone kits, which temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, will also be available, along with advice on how to use them.

'More informed decisions'

Mark Cromwell of the charity's counselling team said the "stigma and discrimination" faced by those with a dependency could prevent people from "reaching out to access the support."

Addiction could "happen to anyone" and could be "very difficult to deal with", he said.

As part of the awareness drive, two island landmarks - the Tower of Refuge in Douglas and the Swing Bridge in Ramsey - will be lit up in purple on Saturday night.

Trainee counsellor with the organisation Jason McKee said: "I have been there and the social stigma can lead to people trying to hide their drug use, using alone and in unsafe places."

It was important to know the risks of overdoses so that "more informed decisions" could be made "when choosing to use drugs", he said.

"It’s time to start the discussion about both fatal and non fatal overdoses," he added.