Substance Use News provides a monthly collection of news and resources on the social, medical and political responses to the toxic drug supply crisis and information about alcohol harm reduction. Please check Info for People Who Use Substances to get the latest alerts, and tips on how to stay safe from Toward the Heart. New to this work? Visit our Substance Use and Harm Reduction page for more resources.
In the News
BC Supreme Court rules in favour of Harm Reduction Nurses Association, pauses coming into force of BC’s public drug consumption law
The BC Supreme Court has granted a temporary injunction to the Harm Reduction Nurses Association (HRNA), suspending the coming into force of BC’s Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act until March 31, 2024. The court granted the injunction on the grounds that in severely restricting public drug consumption, the Act would cause irreparable harm to people at risk of injury and death amid a public health crisis. This temporary injunction provides time for the Court to assess whether the law violates Charter rights and is outside of BC’s constitutional jurisdiction. (December 29, 2023)
More substance use treatment needed as BC drug decriminalization pilot enters 2nd year: doctors, advocates
Nurses and physicians at the Rapid Access Addiction Clinic based in Vancouver see people with severe dependence on alcohol or drugs, with the vast majority of the 20 to 30 daily patients needing support to quit using illegal opioids. They are typically prescribed methadone or Suboxone, medications that ease the pain of withdrawal and cravings for potentially deadly drugs as part of a brief intervention. The goal is to stabilize patients before connecting them to a family doctor for followup treatment and rehabilitation. But there is no clear path to continuing care for many of the patients without a family doctor, said nurse lead Victoria Ramos. (December 28, 2023)
Drug Users and Advocates Issue a Warning about Xylazine
Xylazine, also known as tranq or tranq-dope when mixed with opioids, is a sedative approved for veterinary use in Canada as an anesthetic for animals. It is not approved for human use. People who use drugs and live in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside say xylazine is contributing to an increase in rates of robbery, sexual assault and infections that lead to amputations. People are also concerned the drug is making it harder to access social services and detox programs. (December 13, 2023)
Does microdosing magic mushrooms help people with mental health issues? Science is trying to find out
Through the University of Toronto, neuroscientist Rotem PetrankerPetranker is leading the first clinical trial examining the effects of microdosing psilocybin on major depressive disorder. There are 20 participants in Petranker’s eight-week trial, and each suffers from clinical depression. Once a week they either get a microdose of psilocybin or a placebo, and then Petranker and his team put them through a series of tests to determine if they experience an improvement in their mood. (December 9, 2023)
A New Drug Testing Location Opens Near Vancouver City Hall
Get Your Drugs Tested has opened a second location at 245 W. Broadway, a four-minute walk from the Broadway-City Hall SkyTrain station. The free drug checking service is designated by Vancouver Coastal Health as an overdose prevention site, which allows people to drop off samples of illicit substances, and for the team to handle those substances, without risk of arrest. (December 7, 2023)
Advocacy and Research
Muppets from Sesame Workshop help explain opioid addiction to young children
Sesame Workshop, the educational nonprofit behind one of the world’s most famous children’s shows, is trying to give young kids a better understanding of addiction in families. A few years ago, Sesame Workshop, the umbrella organization for the show Sesame Street, began developing some of the first materials specifically created for children aged 1 to 6 whose parents may use drugs.
Get to know the National Safer Supply Community of Practice
The National Safer Supply Community of Practice (NSS-CoP) is a knowledge exchange initiative based in Ontario and led by London InterCommunity Health Centre, in partnership with the Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs and the Alliance for Healthier Communities. Its goal is to scale up safer supply programs across Canada. NSSCoP develops resources, offers learning events, community gatherings, and more.
Library on the Front Lines
You wouldn’t expect to find an overdose response and prevention team at a library, but Edmonton’s flagship library is going next level to take care of some of its most vulnerable citizens. They also have a team of social workers and other programs. They’re meeting people where they’re at, and it’s making a difference. Listen to this episode from White Coat Black Art.
‘I ain’t found it yet.’ No line this mother won’t cross to save her addicted daughter
To Renae’s way of thinking, the country already has supervised consumption sites. They’re called bars. There are significant differences, but Renae is making a point heard often among people who use drugs.” Addiction is the same disease — but alcohol is legal, while many other drugs are not.
All About Drug Checking (Part 2): The Team and the Tech of Music Festivals
Summer time in British Columbia means the start of music festival season and one of the busiest times of year for drug checking. How does drug checking at festivals make it through testing that many samples in the multi-day event? There were some new innovations tested out at Shambhala this year.
Visit the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Unregulated Drug Poisoning Emergency Dashboard for provincial data from different sources.
Visit the BC Centre on Substance Use for information on evidence-based approaches to substance use care and harm reduction.
Visit the National Safer Supply Community of Practice (NSS-CoP), whose goal is to scale up safer supply programs across Canada.
Visit the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research site for research on aclohol and substance use.
Questions? Feedback? Get in touch. Janet Madsen, Capacity Building and Digital Communications Coordinator, [email protected]
Focus image by Andrew, Flickr (Creative Commons)