Seniors and Opioids & Jean Augustine

The rates of opioid prescriptions in this country have steadily climbed the past 30-years as Canadians have become one of the top consumers of prescription opioids in the world. While the perception of the crisis focuses on the young, a new study found that it is older Canadians who have the largest overall consumption rate of opioids. All this is found in the latest report from the National Institute on Ageing, one of its co-authors is Dr. Samir Sinha. AND Think hockey and Gretzky comes to mind. Think just about almost anything else in Canada and Jean Augustine should come to mind. The Grenada-born Canadian recently turned 86, the same day the Caribbean Tales International Film Festival celebrated its 18th year with the first presentation of the Augustine Award of Excellence. Jean is the first Black woman MP and cabinet minister, parliamentary secretary to then Prime Minister Jean Chretien, First Ontario Fairness Commissioner and, after leaving that job, she’s continued working with many organizations for education and social justice.