Tag: Harm reduction | Page 3

Spotting for people who use drugs: What, when and how

December 8, 2021 • By Melissa Perri and Nat Kaminski

With an increasingly poisoned drug supply and criminal laws that make the consumption of drugs more dangerous, people who use drugs rely on each other and their service providers to spot an overdose and get help as needed. But what if a person is using drugs on their own? This dilemma has become even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, as public health guidance has discouraged gatherings and promoted physical distancing.

Changing policies and addressing inequities: The health and wellbeing of people who use drugs

November 23, 2021 • By Rivka Kushner and Nikitah Habraken

The International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU) expanded its mandate in 2020 beyond viral hepatitis to include the holistic health of people who use drugs, and from October 13 to 15, 2021, the organization hosted its first conference with this expanded mandate. Held virtually, this year’s conference brought together people with lived and living experience, healthcare and social service providers, researchers, advocates, policy-makers and community leaders to discuss promising practices, emerging trends, new research and what’s needed to support the health of people who use drugs around the world. An overarching theme of the conference related...

Surveillance des surdoses : quand le communautaire prend la situation en main

November 18, 2021 • By Bianca Desfossés et Émilie Roberge

Vous avez entendu parler de la crise des surdoses? Celle qui ravage le Canada depuis de trop nombreuses années déjà? Oui? Vous savez donc sûrement que le Québec ne se distingue pas des autres provinces. En effet, de juillet 2020 à juin 2021, 495 décès sont reliés à une possible intoxication aux opioïdes ou autres drogues. Le fentanyl est souvent pointé du doigt, mais il n’est pas le seul coupable.

Reframing Ontario’s overdose crisis: Addressing inhalation and stimulant use

November 1, 2021 • By Nick Boyce and Netta Kornberg

The overdose crisis in Ontario is often stereotyped as an “opioid injection” crisis. However, data show that significant numbers of overdoses are also being driven by stimulant drug use and inhalation drug use.

The fight for supervised consumption sites to remain open in Alberta

August 30, 2021 • By Kathleen Larose

Just like across Canada, the number of overdoses continues to climb in Alberta because of a toxic drug supply, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic that has interrupted the supply of drugs. In Alberta, drug toxicity deaths have been devastating to people with lived or living experience of substance use, as well as their friends and families. In the province alone, we have seen 1,334 fatal overdoses in 2020. We mourn each person lost.

Splitting and sharing at overdose prevention and supervised consumption sites: What we learned

July 29, 2021 • By Nick Pineau, Sandra Ka Hon Chu, Corey Ranger, Matthew Bonn and Natasha Touesnard

In 2020, Health Canada started to hold consultation meetings with key stakeholders to review federal regulations governing overdose prevention sites (OPS) and supervised consumption sites (SCS). While multiple recommendations and suggestions were brought forward, one that was repeatedly identified by people who use drugs and other stakeholders as being of top concern was the inability to split and share drugs within OPS/SCS settings.