Substance Use News provides a snapshot of news and resources for those working to support folks who use substances. We share pieces on the social, medical and political responses to the opioid crisis, from advocacy to welcome change. See our Drug Use and Overdose Response page for resources on overdose services, team resilience, governmental reports, policy recommendations, and more.
This study from Nebraska shows what PAN members know from frontline work all over BC: “Popular media often depict illegal drug use as an urban problem rather than a rural one, but a new study shows access to illicit drugs is the same, no matter where a person lives.” Continue reading
Kevin Yake remembers the overwhelming relief of saving the life of a young man who’d overdosed, and he’s grateful he knew what to do. Continue reading
University of Buffalo study with animal models shows that regular aerobic exercise (one hour on a treadmill, five times a week) decreases stress-induced cocaine-seeking behavior. Continue reading
It means the peak of B.C.’s overdose epidemic is not two years in the past, as previously thought, but in fact occurred just a few months ago. Continue reading
The adolescent brain is “deliberately” set up for risk-taking. The prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain involved in “executive functions” that support careful decision-making (like self-monitoring and impulse control) — does not fully develop until the mid-20s, long after the maturation of the emotional processing and reward-seeking centers in what is called the limbic system. Continue reading
Questions? Feedback? Get in touch! Janet Madsen, Capacity Building and Knowledge Translation Coordinator, [email protected]