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Key Messages on Safer Supply: The NSS-CoP has assembled key messages on safer supply as well as a series of infographics and social media campaign packages. Updates to these key messages will happen on an ongoing basis as more research, evidence, and information emerges. Check it out now!
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Decriminalization and Harm Reduction in African Caribbean and Black Communities: Getting To Tomorrow Dialogue - Canadian Drug Policy Coalition: On May 10th and May 17th 2022, approximately 70 people gathered to participate in a virtual dialogue focused on how current drug policies impact African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities. Participants discussed their experiences and perceptions of decriminalization and harm reduction policies and practices as they relate to racialized communities. This dialogue was hosted by Canadian Association of People who Use Drugs (CAPUD), Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Toronto Harm Reduction Alliance, Zero Gun Violence Movement, DevelopMe Youth Centre, and Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC). During the dialogue, participants raised several key barriers to public health such as racism, systemic prejudice, social and structural stigma, lack of access to public resources, police profiling, lack of awareness and education campaigns on the realities of drug use, and more. A wide array of participants took part in the conversation, including People with Lived and Living Expertise (PWLLE), harm reduction workers, social workers, first responders and health care providers. This report highlights the perspectives and views participants shared and highlights five recommendations for action that emerged through the dialogue. Download it here.
More Than 130 Experts in Substance Use Call on Federal Government to Continue to Support and Scale-Up Safer Supply Programs: As funding for 21 currently operating safer supply programs across Canada is set to end in March 2024, 131 Canadian experts in substance use – including researchers, front-line physicians and nurse practitioners working directly with people who use drugs at high risk of overdose – are calling on federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure stable funding for currently operating safer supply programs. Highlighting the need for scale-up of safer supply programs in areas of highest need, they are also calling for support for comprehensive research and evaluation of these programs, and collaboration with people who use drugs to deliver a regulated drug supply. Read more here.
Evaluation of Harm Reduction Approaches to Address the Opioid Crisis in the Context of COVID-19 — Safer Supply Evaluation - Midpoint Knowledge Exchange Forum: What We Heard Report: On May 10, 2023, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) hosted a virtual midpoint knowledge exchange forum for an evaluation project funded through the Operating Grant: Evaluation of Harm Reduction Approaches to Address the Opioid Crisis in the Context of COVID-19 funding opportunity. This research project is evaluating Safer Supply Pilot Projects supported by Health Canada through their Substance Use and Addictions Funding Program (SUAP). This report comprises a synthesis of progress and current findings presented by the research team and a summary of knowledge user and audience perspectives shared during a panel reflections and discussion session. Download it here.
Initiation of opioid agonist therapy after hospital visits for non-fatal opioid poisonings in Ontario - ODPRN: This study examined trends in OAT initiation rates for patients presenting to the ED or admitted to hospital with acute opioid toxicity, and to determine if revised clinical guidelines were associated with increased access to OAT. Read it here.
Non-Fatal Overdose Incidents in Federal Custody - 2020-2021: As part of ongoing monitoring efforts, the current study provides an overview of non-fatal overdose incidents that occurred in a federal institution in 2020-2021, which corresponded with the first full Fiscal Year associated with COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Read it here.
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NSS-CoP Resource Library: Did you know we have a resource library with OVER 1,500 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!
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RESEARCH PAPER OF THE MONTH
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Young, S., et al. (2023). Initiations of safer supply hydromorphone increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario: An interrupted time series analysis | PLOS ONE
Highlights:
- Calls to prescribe safer supply hydromorphone (SSHM) as an alternative to the toxic drug supply increased during the COVID-19 pandemic but it is unknown whether prescribing behaviour was altered.
- We aimed to evaluate how the number of new SSHM dispensations changed during the pandemic in Ontario.
- We conducted a retrospective interrupted time-series analysis using provincial administrative databases.
- We estimated 511 (95CI 327–695) new dispensations would not have occurred without the pandemic.
- The pandemic led to an abrupt increase in SSHM prescribing in Ontario, although the rate of increase was similar before and during the pandemic.
- The absolute number of individuals who accessed SSHM remained low throughout the pandemic.
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Palis, H., et al. (2024). Factors associated with obtaining prescribed safer supply among people accessing harm reduction services: findings from a cross-sectional survey | Harm Reduction Journal
Nafeh, F., et al. (2023). Preliminary Assessment of Short-Term Social and Substance Use-Related Outcomes Among Clients of Integrated Safer Opioid Supply Pilot Programs in Toronto, Canada | International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Karamouzian, M., et al. (2024). Longitudinal polysubstance use patterns and non-fatal overdose: A repeated measures latent class analysis | International Journal of Drug Policy
Dobischok, S., et al. (2023). “It feels like I’m coming to a friend’s house”: an interpretive descriptive study of an integrated care site offering iOAT (Dr. Peter Centre) | Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
Wilson, P., et al. (2023). Benzodiazepine Withdrawal in the Context of Benzodiazepine-Contaminated Opioids: Practice Implications | Journal for Nurse Practitioners
Fischer, B., et al. (2023). The marked oscillatory pattern in prescription opioid utilization in Canada since 2000: Selected observations and questions for outcomes and policy | Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety
Lundstrom, E. W., et al. (2024). Comparing the effects of decreasing prescription opioid shipments and the release of an abuse deterrent OxyContin formulation on opioid overdose fatalities in WV: an interrupted time series study | Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
Tobias, S., et al. (2024). Motivators of and barriers to drug checking engagement in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from a cross-sectional study | International Journal of Drug Policy
Ireland, L., et al. (2024). Drug transactions and the dark web: Public perceptions of the locational setting of offenders and support for drug policy outcomes | International Journal of Drug Policy
Michener, P. S., et al. (2024). Association of random and observed urine drug screening with long-term retention in opioid treatment programs | Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Hu, T., et al. (2023). Initiation of opioid agonist therapy after hospital visits for opioid poisonings in Ontario | Canadian Medical Association Journal
Greenwald, M. K., et al. (2023). Examining the benefit of a higher maintenance dose of extended-release buprenorphine in opioid-injecting participants treated for opioid use disorder | Harm Reduction Journal
Rajab, D., et al. (2023). Emergency department care experiences among people who use substances: a qualitative study | International Journal for Equity in Health
Ezell, J. M., et al. (2023). A social history of opioids’ crimedical cycle | Addiction Research & Theory
Hayes, K. L., et al. (2023). Assessment of two brands of fentanyl test strips with 251 synthetic opioids reveals “blind spots” in detection capabilities | Harm Reduction Journal
Johnston, J. B., et al. (2023). The name and frame matters when it comes to public support of opioid prevention programs | International Journal of Drug Policy
Bharat, C., et al. (2023). Prescription opioid use among people with opioid dependence and concurrent benzodiazepine and gabapentinoid exposure: An analysis of overdose and all-cause mortality | International Journal of Drug Policy
Ferguson, M., et al. (2023). Associations with experience of non-fatal opioid overdose in British Columbia, Canada: a repeated cross sectional survey study | Harm Reduction Journal
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COMMUNITY UPDATES & EVENTS
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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, webinars and events, peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, and more!
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National and General News:
British Columbia:
Alberta:
Saskatchewan:
Manitoba:
Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut:
Quebec (et en français s'il vous plaît!):
Atlantic Region (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador):
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