Metro Vancouver Transit Police are sharing the story of a woman who uses fentanyl to show the reality of living with a substance use disorder.
Transit Police spokesperson Sgt. Clint Hampton took to Twitter this week to share a video of a woman named Michelle, who he says was surrounded by drug paraphernalia preparing to smoke fentanyl when the officers met her.
In the video, Michelle shares how it feels to be addicted to the drug, and also how quickly the addiction happens. "You will move to something stronger."
She adds that she is a "strong-willed" person, but that withdrawals are " a pain that you can't put your hand on."
"You can't squeeze it, you can't comfort it. Your insides crawl," she explains, adding that "fentanyl kills" and you "don't know when."
Working patrol @TransitPolice, @CstMYake and I met Michelle, surrounded by drug paraphernalia preparing to smoke #fentanyl. She was willing to share a few words in hopes she might help someone else. 🙏Michelle, I hope this tweet finds the right person. #OpioidCrisis pic.twitter.com/DlSCwhx7V0
— Sgt. Clint Hampton (@SgtCHampton) February 8, 2021
Lifelong struggles and current addiction to fentanyl
Hampton tells Vancouver Is Awesome that he and Cst. Michael Yate joined the Transit Police C squad during the day shift on Feb. 3 to film some mask enforcement when they encountered Michelle.
"She was sitting down, hunched over, surrounded by drug paraphernalia, it became fairly apparent that Michelle had either used or was about to use," explains Hampton.
"We started a conversation with Michelle who openly shared her story, lifelong struggles and current addiction with fentanyl."
Michelle told the officers that she came from a "regular" household in Surrey where she attended Catholic school. She said she would always seek a thrill, and chuckled as she told stories of riding horses, bareback, through Whalley.
According to Hampton, Michelle smiled when she spoke of her three children, whom she raised--it was at one point in her adult life when she was sober.
