Across Cumberland North, I am hearing growing concerns about addiction, illegal drugs, repeat offending, mental health, and public safety.
Many residents are asking difficult but important questions.
How do we support people struggling with addiction and mental illness?
How do we help people access treatment, recovery, and stable support before they reach a crisis point?
How do we support families who are trying desperately to get help for their loved ones?
How do we get illegal drugs off our streets and stop them from being so easily accessible in our communities?
And how do we ensure our communities remain safe?
Compassion matters. Treatment matters.
Recovery matters.
But so do accountability, enforcement, public safety, and the rights of victims, families, and community members who are often left carrying the consequences when the system fails to respond.
This is not about blaming people who are unwell or struggling with addiction. It is about recognizing that the current system is not working.
TOO MANY families have LOST loved ones to drugs.
Too many people have watched friends, children, parents, and neighbours struggle with addiction.
Too many families have tried to get help and found closed doors, long waits, or no clear path forward.
Too many residents are worried about illegal drugs being readily available in their communities.
Too many residents feel their concerns about repeat offending and public safety are not being heard.
Nova Scotians should not have to choose between compassion and public safety. We need both.
If you are comfortable sharing your story, I want to hear from you.
If you have lost a family member or friend to drugs, if addiction has had a significant impact on your life, if you have struggled to get help for someone you love, or if you have concerns about illegal drugs, repeat offending, and public safety in your community, please send me a private message or contact my office.
902-661-2288
Mla@esmithmccrossinmla.com
Someone told me recently that 18 young people have died from drug overdoses in our area in the last two years. I want to hear from these families - we need to shine a light on this.
Your experiences can help inform future discussions about addiction, treatment, recovery, mental health care, public safety, enforcement, victims’ rights, and the support families need.
We need a system that protects the public, supports victims and families, helps people access real treatment and recovery, and gets illegal drugs off our streets before more lives are lost."
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