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Norton A, Ivsins A, Holliday E, Sutherland C, Kerr T, Kennedy MC. A qualitative evaluation of a fentanyl patch safer supply program in Vancouver, Canada. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 131:104547. [PMID: 39159532 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ongoing overdose crisis in Canada has prompted efforts to increase access to a "safer supply" of prescribed alternatives to the unregulated drug supply. While safer supply programs predominantly distribute hydromorphone tablets, the Safer Alternatives for Emergency Response (SAFER) program in Vancouver, Canada offers a range of prescribed alternatives, including fentanyl patches. However, little is known about the effectiveness of fentanyl patches as safer supply. Drawing on the perspectives and experiences of program participants, we sought to qualitatively evaluate the effectiveness of the SAFER fentanyl patch program in meeting its intended aims, including reducing risk of overdose by decreasing reliance on the unregulated drug supply. METHODS As part of a larger mixed-methods evaluation of SAFER, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 fentanyl patch program participants between February 2022 and April 2023. Thematic analysis of interview data focused on program engagement, experiences, impacts, and challenges. RESULTS The flexible program structure, including lack of need for daily dispensation, the extended missed dose protocol, and community pharmacy patch distribution fostered engagement and enhanced autonomy. Improved management of withdrawal symptoms and cravings due to steady transdermal dosing led to reduced unregulated drug use and overdose risk. Participants also experienced economic benefits and improvements in overall health and quality of life. However, skin irritation and patch adhesion issues were key barriers to program retention. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate the value of including fentanyl patch safer supply in the substance use continuum of care and offer insights for innovations in delivery of this intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Norton
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Andrew Ivsins
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Thomas Kerr
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mary Clare Kennedy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Social Work, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
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Kolla G, Pauly B, Cameron F, Hobbs H, Ranger C, McCall J, Majalahti J, Toombs K, LeMaistre J, Selfridge M, Urbanoski K. "If it wasn't for them, I don't think I would be here": experiences of the first year of a safer supply program during the dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and the drug toxicity crisis. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:111. [PMID: 38849866 PMCID: PMC11157725 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-01029-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In response to the devastating drug toxicity crisis in Canada driven by an unregulated opioid supply predominantly composed of fentanyl and analogues, safer supply programs have been introduced. These programs provide people using street-acquired opioids with prescribed, pharmaceutical opioids. We use six core components of safer supply programs identified by people who use drugs to explore participant perspectives on the first year of operations of a safer supply program in Victoria, BC, during the dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and the drug toxicity crisis to examine whether the program met drug-user defined elements of an effective safer supply model. METHODS This study used a community-based participatory research approach to ensure that the research was reflective of community concerns and priorities, rather than being extractive. We interviewed 16 safer supply program participants between December 2020 and June 2021. Analysis was structured using the six core components of effective safer supply from the perspective of people who use drugs, generated through a prior study. RESULTS Ensuring access to the 'right dose and right drugs' of medications was crucial, with many participants reporting success with the available pharmaceutical options. However, others highlighted issues with the strength of the available medications and the lack of options for smokeable medications. Accessing the safer supply program allowed participants to reduce their use of drugs from unregulated markets and manage withdrawal, pain and cravings. On components related to program operations, participants reported receiving compassionate care, and that accessing the safer supply program was a non-stigmatizing experience. They also reported receiving support to find housing, access food, obtain ID, and other needs. However, participants worried about long term program sustainability. CONCLUSIONS Participants in the safer supply program overwhelmingly appreciated it and felt it was lifesaving, and unlike other healthcare or treatment services they had previously accessed. Participants raised concerns that unless a wider variety of medications and ability to consume them by multiple routes of administration became available, safer supply programs would remain unable to completely replace substances from unregulated markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Kolla
- Memorial University, St. John's, Canada.
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada.
| | - Bernie Pauly
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | | | | | - Corey Ranger
- AVI Health and Community Services, Victoria, Canada
| | - Jane McCall
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | | | - Kim Toombs
- AVI Health and Community Services, Victoria, Canada
| | | | - Marion Selfridge
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | - Karen Urbanoski
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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Palayew A, Banta-Green CJ, Lamont M, Damper D, Moreno C, Goodreau SM, Mooney SJ, Glick SN. Acceptability and anticipated effectiveness of a safe supply of opioids, among people who inject opioids in King County, WA. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 127:104389. [PMID: 38522176 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid overdose mortality in the US has exceeded one million deaths over the last two decades. A regulated opioid supply may help prevent future overdose deaths by reducing exposure to the unregulated opioid supply. We examined the acceptability, delivery model preference, and anticipated effectiveness of different regulated opioid models among people in the Seattle area who inject opioids. METHODS We enrolled people who inject drugs in the 2022 Seattle-area National HIV Behavior Surveillance (NHBS) survey. Participants were recruited between July and December 2022 using respondent-driven sampling. Participants who reported injecting opioids (N = 453) were asked whether regulated opioids would be acceptable, their preferred model of receiving regulated opioids, and the anticipated change in individual overdose risk from accessing a regulated opioid supply. RESULTS In total, 369 (81 %) participants who injected opioids reported that a regulated opioid supply would be acceptable to them. Of the 369 who found a regulated opioid supply to be acceptable, the plurality preferred a take-home model where drugs are prescribed (35 %), followed closely by a dispensary model that required no prescription (28 %), and a prescribed model where drugs need to be consumed on site (13 %), a model where no prescription is required and drugs can be accessed in a community setting with a one-time upfront payment was the least preferred model (5 %). Most participants (69 %) indicated that receiving a regulated opioid supply would be "a lot less risky" than their current supply, 20 % said, "a little less risky", 10 % said no difference, and 1 % said a little or a lot more risky. CONCLUSION A regulated opioid supply would be acceptable to most participants, and participants reported it would greatly reduce their risk of overdose. As overdose deaths continue to increase in Washington state pragmatic and effective solutions that reduce exposure to unregulated drugs are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Palayew
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, USA; VOCAL, Washington, USA.
| | - Caleb J Banta-Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, USA; Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, USA
| | - Malika Lamont
- VOCAL, Washington, USA; Public Defenders Association, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Courtney Moreno
- Public Health Seattle King County, Division of Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Steven M Goodreau
- Department of Anthropology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, USA
| | - Stephen J Mooney
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, USA
| | - Sara N Glick
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, USA; Public Health Seattle King County, Division of Infectious Diseases, Seattle, Washington, USA; Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Washington, USA
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Michaud L, Kolla G, Rudzinski K, Guta A. Mapping a moral panic: News media narratives and medical expertise in public debates on safer supply, diversion, and youth drug use in Canada. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 127:104423. [PMID: 38642543 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The ongoing overdose and drug toxicity crisis in North America has contributed momentum to the emergence of safer supply prescribing and programs in Canada as a means of providing an alternative to the highly volatile unregulated drug supply. The implementation and scale-up of safer supply have been met with a vocal reaction on the part of news media commentators, conservative politicians, recovery industry representatives, and some prominent addiction medicine physicians. This reaction has largely converged around several narratives, based on unsubstantiated claims and anecdotal evidence, alleging that safer supply programs are generating a "new opioid epidemic", reflecting an emerging alignment among key institutional and political actors. Employing situational analysis method, and drawing on the policy studies and social science scholarship on moral panics, this essay examines news media coverage from January to July 2023, bringing this into dialogue with other existing empirical sources on safer supply (e.g. Coroner's reports, program evaluations, debates among experts in medical journals). We employ eight previously established criteria delineating moral panics to critically appraise public dialogue regarding safer supply, diverted medication, and claims of increased youth initiation to drug use and youth overdose. In detailing the emergence of a moral panic regarding safer supply, we trace historic continuities with earlier drug scares in Canadian history mobilized as tools of racialized poverty governance, as well as previous backlashes towards healthcare interventions for people who use drugs (PWUD). The essay assesses the claims of moral entrepreneurs against the current landscape of opioid use, diversion, and overdose among youth, notes the key role played by medical expertise in this and previous moral panics, and identifies what the convergence of these narratives materialize for PWUD and healthcare access, as well as the broader policy responses such narratives activate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Michaud
- Graduate Program in Socio-Legal Studies, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada; Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Gillian Kolla
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | | | - Adrian Guta
- School of Social Work, University of Windsor, ON, Canada
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Nielsen S, Stowe MJ, Ritter A. In pursuit of safer supply: An emerging evidence base for medical and nonmedical models. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 126:104365. [PMID: 38417226 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Nielsen
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University, Peninsula Campus Rm 205A, Level 2, Building D, 47-49 Moorooduc Hwy, Frankston 3199, Victoria, Australia.
| | - M J Stowe
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alison Ritter
- The Drug Policy Modelling Program, UNSW Sydney, Australia
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Henderson N, Marris J, Woodend K. "And this is the life jacket, the lifeline they've been wanting": Participant perspectives on navigating challenges and successes of prescribed safer supply. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299801. [PMID: 38517923 PMCID: PMC10959334 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2021, 43% of drug toxicity deaths in Ontario were reported by public health units serving medium-sized urban and rural communities. Safer supply programs (SSPs) have been primarily established in large urban centres. Given this, the current study is based on an evaluation of a SSP based in a medium-sized urban centre with a large catchment area that includes rural and Indigenous communities. The aim of this research paper is to understand the challenges and successes of the nurse practitioner-led SSP from the perspective of program participants. METHODS Interpretive description was used to understand the experiences of 14 participants accessing a SSP. Each participant was interviewed using a semi-structured approach, and 13 of the interviewees also completed surveys accessed through Qualtrics. An iterative process using NVivo software was used to code interviews, and a constant comparative data analysis approach was used to refine and categorize codes to themes. FINDINGS Three overarching themes were the result of this analysis: feeling better, renewed hope, and safety. These three themes capture the experiences of participants in the SSP, including both the challenges and successes they faced. CONCLUSION The findings and subsequent discussion focus on both the key best practices of the program, and areas for future development and improvement. Despite barriers to services, prescribed SSPs are improving the lives of people who use drugs, and the current outcomes align with reports and evaluations from other SSPs across Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Henderson
- School of Nursing, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - John Marris
- John Marris Consulting, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Kirsten Woodend
- School of Nursing, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
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Nall SK, Jurecka C, Ammons A, Rodriguez A, Craft B, Waleed C, Dias D, Henderson J, Boyer J, Yamkovoy K, Swathi PA, Patil P, Behne F, LeMasters K, Brinkley-Rubinstein L, Barocas JA. Identifying structural risk factors for overdose following incarceration: a concept mapping study. HEALTH & JUSTICE 2024; 12:11. [PMID: 38472497 DOI: 10.1186/s40352-024-00265-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, there are more than two million people in prisons or jails, with nearly two-thirds meeting the criteria for a substance use disorder. Following these patterns, overdose is the leading cause of death following release from prison and the third leading cause of death during periods of incarceration in jails. Traditional quantitative methods analyzing the factors associated with overdose following incarceration may fail to capture structural and environmental factors present in specific communities. People with lived experiences in the criminal legal system and with substance use disorder hold unique perspectives and must be involved in the research process. OBJECTIVE To identify perceived factors that impact overdose following release from incarceration among people with direct criminal legal involvement and experience with substance use. METHODS Within a community-engaged approach to research, we used concept mapping to center the perspectives of people with personal experience with the carceral system. The following prompt guided our study: "What do you think are some of the main things that make people who have been in jail or prison more and less likely to overdose?" Individuals participated in three rounds of focus groups, which included brainstorming, sorting and rating, and community interpretation. We used the Concept Systems Inc. platform groupwisdom for our analyses and constructed cluster maps. RESULTS Eight individuals (ages 33 to 53) from four states participated. The brainstorming process resulted in 83 unique factors that impact overdose. The concept mapping process resulted in five clusters: (1) Community-Based Prevention, (2) Drug Use and Incarceration, (3) Resources for Treatment for Substance Use, (4) Carceral Factors, and (5) Stigma and Structural Barriers. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides critical insight into community-identified factors associated with overdose following incarceration. These factors should be accounted for during resource planning and decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K Nall
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1 Mailstop B180 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Cole Jurecka
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1 Mailstop B180 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Anthony Ammons
- The Ahimsa Collective, Oakland, CA, USA
- Third City Community Advisory Board, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Avel Rodriguez
- WORTH CAB (Wellness, Opportunity, Resilience Through Health Community Advisory Board), Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Betsy Craft
- WORTH CAB (Wellness, Opportunity, Resilience Through Health Community Advisory Board), Aurora, CO, USA
- Colorado Drug Policy Coalition, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Craig Waleed
- Third City Community Advisory Board, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC), Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Dias
- WORTH CAB (Wellness, Opportunity, Resilience Through Health Community Advisory Board), Aurora, CO, USA
- Denver Dream Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Jessie Henderson
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1 Mailstop B180 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- WORTH CAB (Wellness, Opportunity, Resilience Through Health Community Advisory Board), Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Joshua Boyer
- Third City Community Advisory Board, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Hopwood and Singhal PLLC, Alexandria, VA, USA
| | - Kristina Yamkovoy
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1 Mailstop B180 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Pallavi Aytha Swathi
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1 Mailstop B180 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Prasad Patil
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Joshua A Barocas
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1 Mailstop B180 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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McCall J, Hobbs H, Ranger C, Cameron F, Stuart H, Nelken J, Majalahti J, Urbanoski K, Kolla G, LeMaistre J, Toombs K, Herriot R, Pauly B. Prescribed safer supply during dual public health emergencies: a qualitative study examining service providers perspectives on early implementation. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2024; 19:19. [PMID: 38444035 PMCID: PMC10913403 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-024-00598-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Within North America and worldwide, drug related overdoses have increased dramatically over the past decade. COVID-19 escalated the need for a safer supply to replace unregulated substances and to reduce toxicity and overdoses. Service providers play an integral role in the delivery of safer supply but there is little empirical evidence that conceptualizes effective safer supply from their perspectives. This study explored early implementation and impacts of a safer supply program, capturing the perspectives of an interdisciplinary team of service providers on tensions and issues encountered in the development of the SAFER program. METHODS Using a community-based participatory approach, we conducted individual interviews with program providers (n = 9). The research team was composed of researchers from a local drug user organization, a local harm reduction organization, and academic researchers. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) informed the interview guide. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS There are six themes describing early implementation: (1) risk mitigation prescribing as context for early implementation; (2) developing SAFER specific clinical protocols; (3) accessibility challenges and program innovations; (4) interdisciplinary team and wraparound care; (5) program tensions between addiction medicine and harm reduction; (6) the successes of safer supply and future visions. CONCLUSION Early implementation issues and tensions included prescriber concerns about safer supply prescribing in a highly politicized environment, accessibility challenges for service users such as stigma, encampment displacement, OAT requirements, program capacity and costs, and tensions between addiction medicine and harm reduction. Navigating these tensions included development of clinical protocols, innovations to reduce accessibility challenges such as outreach, wraparound care, program coverage of medication costs and prescribing safer supply with/without OAT. These findings contribute important insights for the development of prescribed safer supply programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J McCall
- University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research, 2300 McKenzie Ave, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada
| | - H Hobbs
- AVI Health and Community Services, 713 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
- Victoria SAFER Program, 1806 Cook Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
| | - C Ranger
- AVI Health and Community Services, 713 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
- Victoria SAFER Program, 1806 Cook Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
| | - F Cameron
- SOLID Outreach, 1056 North Park St, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - H Stuart
- SOLID Outreach, 1056 North Park St, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - J Nelken
- SOLID Outreach, 1056 North Park St, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - J Majalahti
- SOLID Outreach, 1056 North Park St, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - K Urbanoski
- University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research, 2300 McKenzie Ave, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada
| | - G Kolla
- University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research, 2300 McKenzie Ave, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada
| | - J LeMaistre
- AVI Health and Community Services, 713 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
- Victoria SAFER Program, 1806 Cook Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
| | - K Toombs
- AVI Health and Community Services, 713 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
- Victoria SAFER Program, 1806 Cook Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
| | - R Herriot
- Victoria SAFER Program, 1806 Cook Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1M8, Canada
| | - Bernie Pauly
- University of Victoria, PO Box 1700, Stn CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada.
- Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research, 2300 McKenzie Ave, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada.
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Carlini BH, Garrett SB, Matos P, Nims LN, Kestens Y. Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis: A multiple stakeholder concept mapping study in Washington State, USA. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 123:104270. [PMID: 38043404 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis legalization in some U.S.A. states has catapulted the mass production of concentrates, with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations ranging from 50-90%. A major public health concern is that these products will increase cannabis-related harms such as use disorders, psychotic symptoms, and accidental poisonings. This paper describes and contextualizes the results of a study requested by the WA State Legislature to understand perspectives of WA stakeholders on the topic. METHODS Concept Mapping (CM), a mixed-methods research approach that supports people-centered policy decisions was utilized. The goal of the study was to explore stakeholders' concern levels and support of policies to address the availability of high THC cannabis products. For analysis purposes, stakeholders were categorized into three groups: community, professionals, and cannabis advocates. RESULTS CM generated an inventory of policy ideas for regulating high-potency cannabis from a variety of stakeholders. Notably, stakeholders from community and professional groups supported environmental policy changes such as such as taxation, increasing minimum age for high concentration cannabis products, and advertising prohibition. Meanwhile, cannabis advocates (mostly industry actors) opposed taxation per THC content, proposed lowering taxes, and supported policies with low population impact such as educating parents, teachers, and youth. CONCLUSION Support for regulating high concentration THC products varied by stakeholder group. Consistent with how other health compromising industries have historically acted, cannabis industry stakeholders rejected regulation of their products. Future studies should explore non-cannabis industry stakeholders' willingness to work towards minimizing the influence of the cannabis industry in policy development processes to assure public health regulations prevail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz H Carlini
- Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America.
| | - Sharon B Garrett
- Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | | | - Lexi N Nims
- Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Yan Kestens
- École de santé publique de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Montréal, Canada
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Ferguson M, Sedgemore KO, Scow M, Choisil P, Haywood B, Xavier J, Crabtree A, Stitilis B, Liu L, Buxton JA. Preferred stimulant safer supply and associations with methamphetamine preference among people who use stimulants in British Columbia: Findings from a 2021 cross-sectional survey. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 120:104186. [PMID: 37708585 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As safer supply programs expand in Canada, stimulant safer supply is often overlooked despite the harms and criminalization faced by people who use stimulants. METHODS The 2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey was administered at 17 harm reduction sites around British Columbia, Canada. The survey included a question about what specific substance participants would want to receive as stimulant safer supply. We investigated preference of stimulant safer substance by looking at frequency of stated preference and by using multivariable logistic regression to understand factors associated with the most frequently chosen substance. RESULTS Of 330 participants who reported a stimulant safer supply preference, 58.5% (n = 193) chose crystal methamphetamine, 13% (n = 43) crack cocaine and 12.4% (n = 41) cocaine powder. The options that were available by prescription at the time of data collection were chosen by under 11% of participants (dextroamphetamine n = 21, methylphenidate n = 15). A preference for crystal methamphetamine was associated with being 29 and under compared to 50 and over (AOR: 3.96, 95% CI: 1.42-11.07, p-value: 0.01); self-identifying as a cis man versus a cis woman (AOR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.03-2.97, p-value: 0.04); and using drugs every day (AOR: 15.43, 95% CI: 3.38-70.51, p-value: < 0.01) or a few times a week (AOR: 8.90, 95% CI: 1.78-44.44, p-value: 0.01) compared to a few times a month. CONCLUSIONS Preference of stimulant safer supply is associated with age, gender, and substance use characteristics. Safer supply programs that offer limited substances risk being poorly accessed, resulting in a continued reliance on an unregulated supply. Moreover, programs that do not offer a range of substances can contribute to health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Ferguson
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kali-Olt Sedgemore
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marnie Scow
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul Choisil
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Beth Haywood
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jessica Xavier
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexis Crabtree
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Blake Stitilis
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lisa Liu
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jane A Buxton
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Karamouzian M, Rafat B, Kolla G, Urbanoski K, Atkinson K, Bardwell G, Bonn M, Touesnard N, Henderson N, Bowles J, Boyd J, Brunelle C, Eeuwes J, Fikowski J, Gomes T, Guta A, Hyshka E, Ivsins A, Kennedy MC, Laurence G, Martignetti L, Nafeh F, Salters K, Tu D, Strike C, Pauly B, Werb D. Challenges of implementing safer supply programs in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 120:104157. [PMID: 37574645 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Canada is experiencing an unprecedented drug toxicity crisis driven by a highly toxic unregulated drug supply contaminated with fentanyl, benzodiazepine, and other drugs. Safer supply pilot programs provide prescribed doses of pharmaceutical alternatives to individuals accessing the unregulated drug supply and have been implemented to prevent overdose and reduce related harms. Given the recent emergence of these pilot programs and the paucity of data on implementation challenges, we sought to document challenges in their initial implementation phase. METHODS We obtained organizational progress reports from Health Canada, submitted between 2020 and 2022 by 11 pilot programs located in British Columbia, Ontario, and New Brunswick. We analyzed the data using deductive and inductive approaches via thematic analysis. Analyses were informed by the consolidated framework for implementation research. RESULTS We obtained 45 progress reports from 11 pilot programs. Six centres were based in British Columbia, four in Ontario, and one in New Brunswick. Four overarching themes were identified regarding the challenges faced during the establishment and implementation of pilot programs: i) Organizational features (e.g., physical space constraints, staff shortages); ii) Outer contexts (e.g., limited operational funds and resources, structural inequities to access, public perceptions); iii) Intervention characteristics (e.g., clients' unmet medication needs); and iv) Implementation process (e.g., pandemic-related challenges, overly medicalized and high-barrier safer supply models). CONCLUSIONS Safer supply pilot programs in Canada face multiple inner and outer implementation challenges. Given the potential role of safer supply programs in addressing the drug toxicity crisis in Canada and the possibility of future scale-up, services should be well-supported during their implementation phases. Refining service provision within safer supply programs based on the feedback and experiences of clients and program administrators is warranted, along with efforts to ensure that appropriate medications are available to meet the clients' needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Karamouzian
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bijan Rafat
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gillian Kolla
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Karen Urbanoski
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Kate Atkinson
- Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Geoff Bardwell
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada; British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Matthew Bonn
- Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | | | - Nancy Henderson
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Jeanette Bowles
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jade Boyd
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Caroline Brunelle
- Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick-Saint John campus, Saint John, NB, Canada
| | - Jolene Eeuwes
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jill Fikowski
- Changemark Research + Evaluation, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tara Gomes
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Adrian Guta
- School of Social Work, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Elaine Hyshka
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Alberta, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew Ivsins
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mary Clare Kennedy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Social Work, University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus), BC, Canada
| | - Gab Laurence
- Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lucas Martignetti
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Frishta Nafeh
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kate Salters
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - David Tu
- Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Kilala Lelum, Urban Indigenous Health and Healing Co-operative, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Carol Strike
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bernadette Pauly
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Dan Werb
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Giang K, Charlesworth R, Thulien M, Mulholland A, Barker B, Brar R, Pauly B, Fast D. Risk mitigation guidance and safer supply prescribing among young people who use drugs in the context of COVID-19 and overdose emergencies. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 115:104023. [PMID: 37059025 PMCID: PMC10067449 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Across North America, overlapping overdose and COVID-19 emergencies have had a substantial impact on young people who use drugs (YPWUD). New risk mitigation guidance (RMG) prescribing practices were introduced in British Columbia, Canada, in 2020 to allow people to decrease risk of overdose and withdrawal and better self-isolate. We examined how the prescribing of hydromorphone tablets specifically impacted YPWUD's substance use and care trajectories. Between April 2020 and July 2021, we conducted virtual interviews with 30 YPWUD who had accessed an RMG prescription of hydromorphone in the previous six months and 10 addiction medicine physicians working in Vancouver. A thematic analysis was conducted. YPWUD participants highlighted a disjuncture between risk mitigation prescriptions and the safe supply of unadulterated substances such as fentanyl, underscoring that having access to the latter is critical to reducing their reliance on street-based drug markets and overdose-related risks. They described re-appropriating these prescriptions to meet their needs, stockpiling hydromorphone so that it could be used as an “emergency backup” when they were unable to procure unregulated, illicit opioids. In the context of entrenched poverty, hydromorphone was also used to generate income for the purchase of drugs and various necessities. For some YPWUD, hydromorphone prescriptions could be used alongside opioid agonist therapy (OAT) to reduce withdrawal and cravings and improve adherence to OAT. However, some physicians were wary of prescribing hydromorphone due to the lack of evidence for this new approach. Our findings underscore the importance of providing YPWUD with a safe supply of the substances they are actively using alongside a continuum of substance use treatment and care, and the need for both medical and community-based safe and safer supply models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Giang
- Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, 317-2914 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Reith Charlesworth
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada
| | - Madison Thulien
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada
| | - Alanna Mulholland
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, 520 West 6(th) Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1A1, Canada
| | - Brittany Barker
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada; Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research, 2300 McKenzie Avenue, Victoria, BC V8N 5M8, Canada
| | - Rupinder Brar
- Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, 317-2914 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, 520 West 6(th) Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1A1, Canada
| | - Bernie Pauly
- Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research, 2300 McKenzie Avenue, Victoria, BC V8N 5M8, Canada; School of Nursing, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Danya Fast
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2A9, Canada; Department of Medicine (Division of Social Medicine), 317-2914 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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