Hundreds of purple crosses were placed in Kitchener’s Victoria Park on Wednesday afternoon to honour those lost in the drug poisoning crisis.

The eighth annual Drug Poisoning Awareness Day event, hosted by the Overdose Education Work Group of the Waterloo Region Integrated Drugs Strategy, looks to raise awareness about the ongoing crisis, reduce the stigma of drug-related death and provide a safe space for people to grieve those they’ve lost.

The local event also brings attention to International Overdose Awareness Day, which is observed annually on Aug. 31 “as a day of remembrance for individuals who have died from preventable drug overdose/poisoning, and to acknowledge the grief felt by family, friends, and communities that are left behind,” a release said.

Wednesday’s event featured

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