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NSS-CoP Resource Library: Did you know we have a resource library with OVER 900 resources on safer supply? You can access it for FREE anytime. It features academic journal articles, grey literature, knowledge translation materials, clinical practice guidelines, and more!
Connecting to Culture - First Nations Health Authority: The 'Connecting to Culture' video series includes three videos. The videos are teaching tools intended to support discussions in First Nations communities about harm reduction, substance use and stigma. The series uses an Indigenous lens and includes the perspectives of Elders, peers, and youth.
National Drug Alert System - Accidental Drug Poisoning Crisis Community of Practice: Using a crowdsourcing approach, the ADPC-CoP works with harm reduction services and drug-checking services from across the country to source accurate and up-to-date information regarding contaminated drug supply. This map-based dashboard displays contaminated drug supply alerts from their partner organizations. Please click on the User Guide at the bottom of the dashboard for more information on how to use the map.
Strengthening Public Health Systems in Canada: The Canadian Public Health Association has launched an advocacy campaign calling for governments across Canada to strengthen the foundations of public health systems, making them cohesive, comprehensive and accountable. In 2023, CPHA will ask federal Parliamentarians and officials to address the structure of public health systems as a highest-priority issue. Subsequently, we will address our campaign to provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments as well. Learn more about the campaign here.
Points of Perspective - Research Report on the Federal Prison Needle Exchange Program in Canada: Despite ample empirical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of needle and syringe programs, the federal Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) refused for decades to implement this essential prison harm reduction program. After years of inaction, in 2012 the HIV Legal Network along with Steve Simons, a man formerly incarcerated in a federal prison, and three HIV organizations — PASAN, CATIE, and CAAN — launched a constitutional challenge to compel CSC to provide people in prison with access to sterile injection equipment. In 2018, CSC introduced a “Prison Needle Exchange Program” (PNEP) and committed to scaling this up across all federal prisons. But in 2022, the program only exists in nine federal prisons and has been heavily criticized for its inaccessibility. Four years after its implementation, Points of Perspective seeks to explore barriers to accessing the PNEP and builds on the On Point: Recommendations for Prison-based Needle and Syringe Programs in Canada report released in 2016 by Toronto Metropolitan University, the HIV Legal Network, and PASAN.
Beyond Prohibition - Community Engagement on Workers Rights and Addressing the Drug Toxicity Crisis: BC is experiencing a public health crisis stemming from an influx in toxic drug supply. The number of overdose deaths has skyrocketed in recent years, as a result of an unregulated drug supply, stigmatization, and criminalization of drug use. On April 14, 2016, the B.C. government declared opioid-related deaths a public health emergency. Since then, decision-makers have failed to adequately address the crisis. Earlier this year, the BC Health Coalition, in collaboration with the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC), convened to learn from panellists and gain a deeper understanding of the drug policy landscape in British Columbia. As a result of the dialogue, the BC Health Coalition has published a report presenting a summary and key recommendations.
Crackdown Podcast - Episode 35: On the Clock: The most recent episode of Crackdown Podcast is now available! Here is a brief description of the episode: "Sex workers who use drugs are doubly criminalized. They have to look out for bad dope and bad dates. And change comes slow. Fights for incremental change don’t get at the big structures that cause so much harm. Are they worth it? We wonder about this when it comes to drug decriminalization. Next year it’ll be legal to carry small amounts of opioids, meth, coke and MDMA in British Columbia. We fought hard for this. Of course, the government’s concession is a watered down version of our original demand. But limiting police discretion to lock us up is a step in the right direction. At least we hope so. The prohibition of sex work began centuries before drug prohibition. Sex workers have long had dangerous working conditions imposed on them by puritanic laws. The criminalization of drug use and sex work has made both unnecessarily risky. But reforms have been won over the years. In 2014, selling sex was decriminalized in Canada. And since 2020, BC has offered a version of safer supply to a few thousand drug users. In the wilderness of laws that continue to criminalize most aspects of sex work and most aspects of drug use – do these reforms matter? On today’s episode I explore this idea with sex worker advocates, Jlynn and Jade, as well as academics, Andrea Krüsi and Jenn McDermid."
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RESEARCH PAPER OF THE MONTH
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Gomes, T., et al. (2022). Changing patterns of opioid initiation for pain management in Ontario, Canada: A population-based cross-sectional study | PLOS One
Highlights:
- The recent publication of a national guideline and quality standards in Canada have provided clinicians with new, evidence-based recommendations on safe, appropriate opioid use.
- We sought to characterize how well opioid initiation practices aligned with these recommendations before and following their release.
- Despite some modest reductions in initiation of high dose and long duration prescription opioids between 2015 and 2019, clinical practice is highly variable, with opioid prescribing practices influenced by clinical indication.
- These findings may help identify medical specialties well-suited to targeted interventions to promote safer opioid prescribing.
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We encourage NSS-CoP members to email info@nss-aps.ca with submissions to include in our newsletter. Content examples include but are not limited to community-led projects, peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, government publications, etc.
- Kennedy, M. C., et al. (2022). Discontinuation and tapering of prescribed opioids and risk of overdose among people on long-term opioid therapy for pain with and without opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Canada: A retrospective cohort study | PLOS Medicine
- Olding, M., et al. (2023). (Re)situating expertise in community-based overdose response: Insights from an ethnographic study of overdose prevention sites (OPS) in Vancouver, Canada | International Journal of Drug Policy
- Wallace, B., et al. (2022). Everywhere and for everyone: proportionate universalism as a framework for equitable access to community drug checking | Harm Reduction Journal
- Russell, C., et al. (2023). The increase in benzodiazepine-laced drugs and related risks in Canada: The urgent need for effective and sustainable solutions | International Journal of Drug Policy
- Davis, S., et al. (2022). Substance Use Stigma and Community Drug Checking: A Qualitative Study Examining Barriers and Possible Responses | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Bardwell, G., et al. (2022). The “goldfish bowl”: a qualitative study of the effects of heightened surveillance on people who use drugs in a rural and coastal Canadian setting | Harm Reduction Journal
- Greene, C., et al. (2022). “It's just not the same”: Exploring PWUD’ perceptions of and experiences with drug policy and SCS services change in a Canadian City | International Journal of Drug Policy
- Marchand, K., et al. (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol or drug use symptoms and service need among youth: a cross-sectional sample from British Columbia, Canada | Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
- Marchand, K., et al. (2023). “The system always undermined what I was trying to do as an individual”: identifying opportunities to improve the delivery of opioid use services for youth from the perspective of service providers in four communities across British Columbia, Canada | Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
- Dobischok, S., et al. (2023). Measuring the preferences of injectable opioid agonist treatment (iOAT) clients: Development of a person-centered scale (best-worst scaling) | International Journal of Drug Policy
- Bastien, G., et al. (2022). Effects of Buprenorphine/Naloxone and Methadone on Depressive Symptoms in People with Prescription Opioid Use Disorder: A Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial | Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
- Rodriguez-Cano, B. J., et al. (2022). Underground ibogaine use for the treatment of substance use disorders: A qualitative analysis of subjective experiences | Drug and Alcohol Review
- Maina, G., et al. (2022). Exploring arts-based interventions for youth substance use prevention: a scoping review of literature | BMC Public Health
- Carroll, J., et al. (2022). Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care: a Qualitative Assessment of Implementation in Two Studies | Journal of General Internal Medicine
- Rosen, J. G., et al. (2022). Safety in Solitude? Competing Risks and Drivers of Solitary Drug Use among Women who Inject Drugs and Implications for Overdose Detection | Addiction
- Cénat, J. M., et al. (2022). Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Psychostimulant Use among Black Individuals: a Meta-analysis and Systematic Review | Addictive Behaviors
- Apsley, H. B., et al. (2022). Non-Engagement in Substance Use Treatment among Women with an Unmet Need for Treatment: A Latent Class Analysis on Multidimensional Barriers | Drug and Alcohol Dependence
- Curtis, M., et al. (2022). Discontinuation of opioid agonist treatment following release from prison in a cohort of men who injected drugs prior to imprisonment in Victoria, Australia: A discrete-time survival analysis | Drug and Alcohol Dependence
- Maierhofer, C. N., et al. (2022). Intended and unintended consequences: Changes in opioid prescribing practices for postsurgical, acute, and chronic pain indications following two policies in North Carolina, 2012–2018 – Controlled and single-series interrupted time series analyses | Drug and Alcohol Dependence
- Zaller, N. D., et al. (2022). Providing substance use disorder treatment in correctional settings: knowledge gaps and proposed research priorities—overview and commentary | Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
- Lafferty, L., et al. (2022). Trust and service engagement among people who inject drugs after release from prison | International Journal of Drug Policy
- Calac, A. J., et al. (2022). Exploring substance use disorder discussions in Native American communities: a retrospective Twitter infodemiology study | Harm Reduction Journal
- Moallef, S., et al. (2022). Inability to contact opioid agonist therapy prescribers during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Canadian setting: a cross-sectional analysis among people on opioid agonist therapy | Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
- Baxley, C., et al. (2022). Effects of buprenorphine on opioid craving in comparison to other medications for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials | Addictive Behaviors
- Elder, H. J., et al. (2022). Amphetamines Modulate Fentanyl-Depressed Respiration in a Bidirectional Manner | Drug and Alcohol Dependence
- Hillis, A., et al. (2022). Internet sourcing and unsafe use of controlled drugs (opioids, sedatives and GABA drugs) in the UK: An in depth case study of consumer dynamics during COVID-19 | Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health
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COMMUNITY UPDATES & EVENTS
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Xylazine Effects on Wounds - How and Why We Care: Join this webinar happening on January 10th at 12pm PST | 3pm EST on xylazine effects on wounds, presented by Rebecca A. Hosey (RN, BSN, MPH) and the Harm Reduction Nurses Association. Rebecca will share her knowledge with us as a nurse/public health consultant with direct experience of xylazine wound care in Philadelphia. Register now!
Public Health 2023 - Canadian Public Health Association: Public Health 2023 is the national conference where public health professionals, researchers, policy-makers, academics, students and trainees come together to strengthen efforts to improve health and well-being, to share the latest research and information, to promote best practices and to advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in research. CPHA will embrace technology and present sessions June 20th to 22nd from 11am to 4:30pm EDT daily. Find more information and important dates here!
5th Annual British Columbia Substance Use Conference: The British Columbia Centre on Substance Use conference planning committee is excited to announce that the 5th annual BC Substance Use Conference will be held April 20th to 22nd, 2023. To enable provincial-wide participation, BCCSU will be hosting a blended conference this year, with both virtual and in-person options for attendance. The in-person program will be held at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. The conference theme this year is The Challenge of Change. We hope this theme will empower conference attendees to better understand and adapt to the rapidly changing landscape within which we live and work. Registration information coming soon - find more information here!
META:PHI Webinar Series 2023: Check out and register for the META:PHI webinar series line up for 2023. META:PHI hosts a virtual presentation on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm to 8:30pm EST. These sessions are intended for service providers who work with people who use substances. All sessions are free.
Supporting Workforce Mental Health in the face of Adversity - A Trauma-informed Organizational Capability Approach: The Registered Nurses Association (RNAO) in partnership with Nurse Practitioner Interest Group (NPIG) invite you to join them on January 17th, 2023 for the webinar Supporting Workforce Mental Health in the Face of Adversity: A Trauma-informed Organizational Capability Approach with special guest speaker: Rosanra Yoon, PhD, MN, NP, Assistant Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University The objectives for this webinar are: 1) Understanding of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the overdose crisis and the impacts on nurses; 2) Understanding the impacts of our current healthcare context on nurses’ health and well-being; and, 3) Gaining insights into various strategies that individual nurses and organizations can implement to preserve and improve nurses’ mental wellness. Register now!
BC ECHO on Substance Use Session - Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) and Pharmacy: The next BC ECHO on Substance User session is happening on Thursday, January 26th, 2023 from 12-1pm PST | 3-4pm EST. Dr. Mona Kwong's presentation will: describe OAT options, identify common drug-drug interactions with opioid agonist treatment medications, help avoid common errors when writing opioid agonist treatment prescriptions, and describe the logistics of pharmacy opioid agonist treatment administration, including witnessed ingestion, take-home doses, and prescription cancellations. Register now!
Student Overdose Prevention and Education Network (SOPEN): SOPEN Hamilton is looking for volunteers! To get in touch, visit their website, follow them on social media platforms @sopenhamilton, email them at sopenhamilton@gmail.com, request a presentation, and sign up to volunteer. You can also obtain fentanyl testing strips. SOPEN has 500 fentanyl testing strips to give away free of charge (1-5 testing strips per person). You can request testing strips here. You can donate to SOPEN here!
Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation – Community Steering Committee Call Out: The Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs (CAPUD) is helping put together a community based steering committee for The Centre of Drug Policy Evaluation. The community based steering committee will hold an open meeting on January 18th from 2pm to 3:30pm EST for potential members to come and learn about what the steering committee will entail. See below for more information on the meeting, the organization, and the steering committee. The Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (CDPE) strives to improve community health and safety by conducting research and outreach on best practices in drug policy. We work collaboratively with governments, affected communities, and civil society to guide effective and evidence-based policy responses to substance use. The CDPE uses knowledge translation to inform policymakers, affected communities, key stakeholders, and the general public on pressing current issues surrounding illegal drugs and drug policy. The CDPE also manages the Toronto Drug Checking Service throughout Toronto, a voluntary service that allows people to check the contents of their drugs before or after using to prevent unknown and harmful outcomes. The CDPE is implementing a Community Steering Committee of people with lived experience of drug use to provide strategic guidance across the range of projects we undertake. The Community Steering Committee will meet every quarter, with the possibility of meeting more frequently for specific projects as needed. Steering committee members will be compensated $50 for their participation for each meeting attended. Meetings will be held using a hybrid model of over the phone and in our office located at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute attached to St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. The community steering committee will be limited to 15 members, for the length of 1 year. We will be having an initial information session on January 18 from 2pm-3:30pm EST to outline who we are, our research, other projects within CDPE, and to provide more details on the Community Steering Committee. This is for community members to attend to explore their interest in being part of the steering committee. Please note that while participation on the Community Steering Committee will be compensated, participation at the initial information meeting, which is optional, will not be. For more information, please contact Matthew Bonn at CAPUDOfficial@gmail.com OR Carman Brown at Carman.Brown@unityhealth.to. To join the meeting on January 18th, you can use this zoom link.
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National and General News:
British Columbia:
Alberta:
Saskatchewan:
Manitoba:
Ontario:
Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut:
Québec (et en français s'il vous plaît!):
Atlantic Region (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador):
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