'At every point, the system made his condition worse': B.C. families mark drug crisis

When asked what brought Glenn Mahoney to Overdose Prevention Day at the B.C. legislature, he responded in a candid tone which can only come from years of confronting a horrible tragedy.

"Death. Too much preventable death."

Mahoney's son, Michael, developed a substance use disorder at 13 when prescribed oxycodone for a medical issue. His journey ended at 21 with him dying alone in his car.

Michael is one of over 17,000 people in B.C. who have died from toxic drug use since the state of public health emergency was first declared in April 2016. What perplexes Mahoney as much as the fact that 2,000 more people have died since last year's gathering is the lack of action.

"I always find it shocking that people aren't outraged at this level of death," he said.

At one point, members in the cr