Celebrating Pride: Parade Safety

Celebrating with friends and family at the upcoming Pride Festival is a wonderful idea to get involved in the Pride community & celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. However, we still need to make sure we are careful to ensure the safety of ourselves and those we care about. Here are some helpful tips on how to safely celebrate during the upcoming Pride Festival in Toronto from June 28-30th.   

What to bring with you 

It’s always a great idea to adequately prepare before attending the Pride festival, especially since you may stay longer than anticipated!  Here is a complete list of items you should consider bringing with you when celebrating Pride this month: 

• Water bottle: Summer weather is already here and staying hydrated throughout the day is extremely important.

• Sunscreen: SPF 30 and water-resistant sunscreen is another festival staple; remember to reapply every 2 hours or follow the directions on the bottle. Seek shade often, especially between 10am & 3pm when the sun is at its peak.

• Naloxone Kit: If you have access to one, a Naloxone kit can help save you or a friend’s life if they overdose. However, Naloxone kits only work on opioid overdoses such as fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone, and not on non-opioid overdoses such as cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine.

• Snacks 

• Condoms 

• Hat 

• Sunglasses 

• Portable charger / charging cable 

• Items to celebrate with your friends & family (flags, T shirts, posters, etc.) 

 General Safety Practices 

• Stay with your friends or other people you can trust. 

• Keep your phone charged and on you. 

• Have a plan on how to safely get home beforehand. 

• Trust your gut. If you ever feel uncomfortable, politely say no, and/or get yourself to safety

• If you are choosing to use substances, do not mix substances, and alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Substance Use and Harm Reduction Tips

Spiked Drinks 

Spiked drinks are drinks laced with substances without the consumer’s knowledge. Four signs of a spiked drink include a foggy appearance, excessive bubbles, sinking ice, and a change in the colour of your drink. These signs are not always present if someone spiked your drink, and sometimes there are no visual or taste changes to your drink. Remember to never leave your drink unattended! If you or someone you know had their drink spiked, tell the bar staff, stay with them or your friends, and call an ambulance if needed.  

How to help your friend who has consumed too much

If you see your friend or someone who has consumed too much, put them into the recovery position. Recovery position is achieved when:

• the bottom arm is bent to create stability
• the top leg is bent to prevent rolling
• & the top hand is under the chin to support the head and help to keep the airway open.

Image of how to place someone into the recovery position. Source: Health Force Training Center.  

Safer Cannabis and Alcohol Use 

Before consuming any substances, make sure you are comfortable taking them. If you feel pressured and don’t want to participate in an activity, politely saying “no thank you” is the best option.   

To avoid excessive substance use, switch between non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks throughout the day, have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks within 3 hours, and make sure to eat before you drink. It’s also important to consider your age, body weight, and previous experience with substances. For example, if you know that from previous experience one drink is enough for you, then sticking to one drink or less a night is a good idea. Please keep in mind to drink lots of water while you are consuming alcohol. The summer heat and dehydration side effects of alcohol can make a bad recipe for heat related injuries! 

Image of the quantities of different alcoholic beverages defined as “one drink”. 341ml of beer with a 5% alcohol content, 341 ml of cider with a 5% alcohol content, 142ml of wine with a 12% alcohol content, and 43ml of distilled alcohol with a 40% alcohol content. Source: CAMH. 

It can take a long time to feel the effects of marijuana, especially in edibles, which can sometimes take 45 minutes – 3 hours. Pacing yourself by waiting for the side effects to kick is a great tool to be safe when using cannabis.

Happy Pride Month from all of us at the Student Wellness Centre and we sincerely hope you have a wonderful time this month celebrating!