Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care; Annie Smith, executive director at McCreary Centre Society; B.C. Association of School Business Officials; B.C. Teachers’ Federation; CUPE BC; B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils; First Nations Education Steering Committee; Métis Nation B.C.; and the First Nations Schools Association have issued the following statement about substance-use education and prevention in B.C.’s K-12 system: 

“We believe in educating students on the harms of substance use, full stop.

“Schools must be safe and welcoming places where every student is supported. We stand together in our commitment to ensuring students receive a compassionate, trauma-informed and evidence-based education. Children should not be afraid or feel shamed when they need support and come ask for help.

“As education partners, we are united in our goal to keep dangerous substances out of the hands of kids. Through substance-use education in the K-12 curriculum, targeted research-based prevention initiatives and local wraparound supports, we are working every day to protect young people and empower them to make healthy choices. 

“Research is clear: stigma-based education is harmful and ineffective. Stigma discourages young people from seeking help, worsens health outcomes and erodes the trust between students and the trusted adults in their lives. For some students, that trust can mean the difference between life and death. It is crucial that classrooms are safe spaces where all students feel supported, not judged.

“This is why we are working together every day to make sure young people are aware of the risks and can get the help they need, when and where they need it.”