Indigenous youth

The Scared Straight Tour endangers people who use substances

by Carter Hemion, Staff Writer Content warning: mentions of drug use, overdose, stereotypes against unhoused peoples, and violence against Indigenous communities From 2003 to June 2021, a program called the Scared Straight Tour made the Downtown Eastside a living tourist attraction. Their original website and Facebook page have been taken down after recent community backlash, but they continue to offer a virtual tour targeting Indigenous youth. These tours invite people to “come and witness first hand just how devastating addiction can be!” through “tours of the worst drug-infested ghetto of North America.” While deterrence-oriented programs intend to change behaviour to…

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