Get Prescription Drugs off the Street is a grass roots organization started by Amy Graves in 2011 after the loss of her younger brother Josh due to an accidental hydromorphone overdose. GPDOTS evolved into a non-profit Get Prescription Drugs off the Street Society in early 2014.
We are a group of concerned citizens and professionals who have been impacted by the use of prescription drugs (mainly opioids) in a variety of ways. The opioid crisis is multifaceted and we recognize this. We work with our professional consultants to lobby for change in the fields of medicine, pharmacy, enforcement, and education.
We are creating awareness related to the opioid crisis as well as promoting accountability among stakeholders and professionals.
Get Prescription Drugs Off The Street Society 
Amy
My name is Kim Gionet, I am Brianne’s aunt. I applaud your efforts and I am as proud of you as a stranger can be. Too often the lost of someone we love under these circumstances is something we suffer in silence. Never knowing why. While those responsible continue on in life, with their life. The void we feel could never be filled. She was my life, and I struggle to get up everyday. But she is always with me, i conduct my life in a manner that I hope Brianne would be proud of. I struggle to remember her laugh. Though sometimes I am lucky enough to dream of her and she is real and alive. I know that this fight you have embarked on will echo for years to come. I am very proud of you. As I am of John. His role in Brianne’s life was an important and loving one. He is my hero.
I live in Nb now in a small town called Tide Head. Even here prescription drugs are available. Recently a 42 year old male was arrested for trafficing. So even in this little place where a community “assumes” their children are beyond this monster’s reach is not so. Your format of speaking out, being in the community’s face is awesome.
My email is kagionet@nb.sympatico.ca. If there is anything you need please do not hesitate to contact me. I can say that I am sorry that Josh lost his life this way. But I am sure that he would be very proud of all you are and continue to be.
All the best to you and your endeavours
Scream it to the rafters. Fight the fight
Kim Gionet
KG/kg
I lost my only son on Sept 8th 2013. to an overdose of prescription pills. He was 29 and we loved him so much. His story is a long one…as a child he seemed happy and loved sports..but after a young boy in our neighbourhood died suddenly he started having sleeping problems..at the age of 8…which then let to obsssion about his body including being diagnosed in 1995 with a severe eating disorder. He spent 3 long yrs in 4 different hospitals..We went public as he was getting sicker and sicker and nothing seemed to be helping him. Through fund raising we were able to get him into a residential treatment facility in England where he ended up hooked up to feeding tubes…they had to perform a jejuostomy on him (in that they inseted a feeding tube into his intestines and pumped 4000 calories daily into his tiny little body..this included drugging him for monthes so that he would not rip the tube out ..(which alone could have killed him.) When we came back to Canada Brandon slowly became addicted to prescription medications…the stress of this broke my marriage…27 yrs to my high school sweetheart…and was tremendously stressful on my daughter as well. He soon got into using oxycoton..and gabapenteen..u name it he tried it…
He was a handsome young man who cared about people…he was talented artistically…and a deep thinker….he is gone now and my heart is shattered…His story of anorexia/bulemia was featured in an edition of Reader’s Digest magazine…his story was also covered in the Provinve Newspaper in B.C in 1997……….we fought for 20 yrs to save his life and now he is gone…I know for a fact that he was able to easily get prescription medications in B.C…and his drug of “choice” was often prescribed easily thorugh walk in clinics. I am so angry!!!!!!!! My family was torn apart from the ongoing stress and if there had of been better programs and resources we might have helped him. He wanted to get well but sadly did not have the tools. I have had him cry in my arms.s..saying “Mom..I wish I knew it was was like to wake up in the morning..with a smile on my face.” he suffered..and he carried alot of guilt over the pain his addiction caused us as his family…
3 nights before he died he called me and broked down crying saying “I just want to go home with my dad and go to school.” the night he died…I called and he said “Can I call u back later mom?” he never did. The next day I got the news that he had died of an “accidental drug overdose.” He must have tried something different that night..or maybe just took one pill too many… I don’t beliee it was suicide…My heart hurts…..I will never recover from this loss…I feel that I was fighting in a war for 20 yrs and…..finally lost.
I’m so sorry I think I’m in the same boat now minus eating disorder it’s my son
Amy I am so sorry for the loss of your brother. I too lost my Grandson from an overdose. He died May 2,2010. I have tried to get something done about the person or persons that gave the drugs to my Grandson. I have met with the police and the DA several times. All I hear is theree is nothing we can do. If the person says I did not give him anything then they can’t prove it.
So I was wondering how you did this. I live in Kansas but my Grandson was home visiting his Mom and had been off drugs for 8 months. So he was not used to the drugs like he was . All of his friends knew he had been off drugs so they knew what could happen. It could only be 1 of 4 people but I just can’t get anything done by the authorities. I would appreciate any help you could give me.
Thank you and I will be praying for you. I know the horrible pain you are feeling. Ginny
Amy, I am a 26 year old female my name is stephanie benham i live in shelburne ns close to you i have been an opiate and methadone user plus many other drugs for almost 9 years of my life. i had a car accident last year and they told me if i didnt quit i had 5-10 yrs left of my life. i just detoxed through a program in detroit michighan and i am now sober and free of opiates and methadone. i am sooooo sorry your brother had to end like that but hopefully if enough ppl recognize this problem we can stop more like josh. my deepest sympathy goes out to you and your family. hope to hear from you in the future my email is w0099199@nscc.ca. my phone number is 1-902-875-4621.
Hi Amy….
I am new to this site…. My name is Dawn and I live here in Ottawa, ON.
Honestly, I don’t know the words to say other than, well, how can I get involved? This disease is way too close to home having had to see 3 immediate family members over the last 4 years go through these unessicary addictions. Now I just found out my 17 year old daughter is on them. Needles too. I can’t believe it but none the less, I want to be strong and fight for all of us having been touched. I wanna lobby here in Ottawa, please let me know how I can help. If its money, I’ll raise it. If its awareness, I’ll speak it…… I wanna see this beast put to death once and for all. I’m sick of this, and our children, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and friends a dying, it’s time to stand up on a NATIONAL LEVEL. May God bring you justice, peace and most of all, answers.
Xo
hello…my name is earlene rennehan
i am a 50 year old woman from south shore originally…i am a recovered crack addict…if there is any way anywhere that i can help anyone…i will do my best…i know the pain, shame guilt and remorse that comes from being an addict…i know what a bottom is and i know what it is like to be spiritually dead…and yes i know what it is like to flat-line…i have been homeless and i am a mother…the journey has been long and the journey is not over…today…i do my best to live in the grace that has been so freely given to me….if you or anyone you know would like to talk, or meet or need help please please…do not hesitate to phone or email or message me….ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT….for if someone hadnt taken the time to reach out to me…i would not be here typing this…
thank you
earlene rennehan..
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earlene.rennehan@gmail.com
earlene varner-rennehan on facebook…
I lost my 63 year old mother nine days ago to a methadone overdose, she was not prescribed it and I have never known her to do it. It’s controlled for a reason. Ordinary everyday people should never see it or have access to it.
i lost my son to an fentanyl overdose he was 21. 21 years old. he left the house and never came back. i want to become an activist against this epidemic that is killing so many.
Keith. I am so sorry for your loss. If you would like to join our advocacy efforts we would love to collaborate! To get in touch please email amygraves@gpdots.com