British Columbia Centre on Substance Use
400-1045 Howe St V5L1R5 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Today a motion to decriminalize personal possession of illicit substances will be introduced to Vancouver City Council. Listen to our new Addiction Practice Pod to hear about the harms caused by criminalizing substance use, with guests including: - Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer... - Amber Streukens, ANKORS - Scott Bernstein, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition Listen here: https://bcechoonsubstanceuse.ca//episode-5-the-harms-of-c/

We're happy to share new resources for anyone who is injecting pills and would like to do so more safely. - BCCDC videos on tablet filtration: bit.ly/38YQpoe - BCCDC print resource on how to filter tablet medications for injection: bit.ly/36qHbOK - BCCSU safer tablet injection resource for clinicians providing care to patients who may inject oral formulations: bit.ly/38GSsx5 ... - Toward the Heart - Harm Reduction Site Finder: https://towardtheheart.com/site-finder - Toward the Heart - BCCDC Harm Reduction Services: https://towardtheheart.com/ These videos were developed in collaboration with BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and Toward the Heart, with special thanks to Guy Felicella and Eric Sanderson.

A new report released today from PHAC, the Public Health Agency of Canada, that describes in detail the devastating impacts that COVID-19 has had on people who use drugs and negative outcomes resulting from health inequity. "Jurisdictions across the country have reported increases in overdose deaths and non-fatal harms related to opioids and other substances, in part due to increasing toxicity of the illegal drug supply since the start of the pandemic." https://www.canada.ca//from-risk-resilience-equity-approac

Today Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart announced plans to present a motion to City Council to request a federal exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize personal possession of illicit substances within the City’s boundaries for medical purposes, in order to address urgent public health concerns caused by the overdose crisis and COVID-19. You can read more about this motion here: https://www.kennedystewart.ca/decriminalize_simple_possessi... The BCCSU supports this plan. Read our statement on why the evidence supports this approach to reduce harms, stigma, and discrimination of people who use drugs: https://www.bccsu.ca//bccsu-statement-on-plan-to-decrimin/

The families end up, essentially for life, caring for these individuals who may not be able to work, who may not be able to have their full brain power and so, are really compromised.

[NEW] Episode 4 of the "Addiction Practice Pod", a new podcast for primary care providers in BC & Yukon. "Providing compassionate care to young people who use substances" Hosted by Dr. Christy Sutherland and award-winning journalist ... David P. Ball of Cited Media. Guests for this episode: Leslie McBain Co-founder of Moms Stop the Harm, and Family Engagement Lead at the BC Centre on Substance Use Haileigh Anderson Peer Research Associate with the At-Risk Youth Study (ARYS), BC Centre on Substance Use Gwen Lister Social worker with AIDS Vancouver Listen here: https://bcechoonsubstanceuse.ca//episode-4-providing-comp/

[NEW] Episode 3 of the "Addiction Practice Pod", a new podcast on substance use care for primary care providers in BC & Yukon. "Substance use disorders and trauma- and violence-informed care" Hosted by Dr. Christy Sutherland and award-winning journalist ... David P. Ball of Cited Media. Guests for this episode: - Guy Felicella Peer Clinical Advisor at the BC Centre on Substance Use and Vancouver Coastal Health - Christina Chant Clinical Nurse Specialist, Registered Nurse Listen here: https://bcechoonsubstanceuse.ca//episode-3-substance-use-/

Midwives are often the only contact someone has with the health system, representing a critical role for providing substance use care. We're pleased to partner with the Midwives Association of British Columbia so that midwives can now call the 24/7 Addiction Medicine Clinician Support Line to better support their pregnant clients. More information at: www.bccsu.ca/24-7

"Calling of the Heart" is a new short film on the overdose crisis from an Indigenous perspective. We’re having an overdose crisis right here and now in our own community, Inez Louis, a nurse with Stól Nation

[NEW] Episode 2 of the "Addiction Practice Pod", a new podcast on substance use care for primary care providers in BC & Yukon! Hosted by Dr. Christy Sutherland and award-winning journalist David P. Ball of Cited Media. ... "Bringing substance use care into your primary care practice" Guests for this episode: Dr. Michelle Brousson (Medical doctor with HealthConnection Clinic in North Vancouver) Charlene Burmeister (Provincial Peer Coordinator for the Centre for Disease Control in Quesnel, British Columbia, and a member of the Northern BC Patient Safety and Quality Council) Listen here: https://bcechoonsubstanceuse.ca//episode-2-bringing-subst/

"A core issue remains unaddressed: the toxicity of the drugs bought and sold on the streets. That’s what is killing people. Fentanyl, the highly potent opioid, is involved in most overdose deaths. This is where the idea of safe supply comes in."

[NEW] "Addiction Practice Pod", a new podcast on substance use care for primary care providers in BC & Yukon! Hosted by Dr. Christy Sutherland and award-winning journalist David P. Ball. Listen to the first episode on #recovery now!... Guests for this episode include: Al Fowler (BC Association of People on Opiate Maintenance), Keir MacDonald (CEO, Phoenix Society), and Dr. Karen Urbanoski (CISUR). Listen here: https://bcechoonsubstanceuse.ca//episode-1-supporting-pat/

[ Just Announced ] Dr. Bonnie Henry has issued a public health order to increase the number of health professionals authorized to help people at risk for overdose access safer alternatives to the toxic street drug supply. This new public health order represents a lifeline to people who use drugs. Now the work must begin to move forward with building a system of care that connects people to harm reduction, treatment, and recovery a system that meets people where they’re at ...wherever they’re at, and offers multiple pathways to care. Full story here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020MMHA0051-001754