Drug toxicity is a leading cause of death in Canada and around the world. This episode will focus on harm reduction and the impact of stigma on people who use drugs. While the Supreme Court of Canada has recognized the importance of harm reduction for effective addiction treatment, contemporary efforts have diverged from the traditional aims of grassroots harm reduction: to promote and protect the dignity of people who use drugs. How can harm reduction be enhanced to reduce the number of deaths related to drug toxicity and better serve the needs of those affected by structural, social, and economic vulnerabilities? Host Sarah Rowe addresses this question and more with guests Dr. Geoff Bardwell and Craig Marshall.

Read More

Crackdown tells the story of drug user activism in the face of hostility and neglect.

Read More

British Columbia has become the first jurisdiction in Canada to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of illicit drugs like opioids, cocaine and crystal meth. This move is part of a big idea called harm reduction. So how much could drug decriminalization help with harm reduction? Dr. Hakique Virani, an addiction medicine and public health physician in Edmonton, explains.

Read More

A safe consumption site in Saskatoon is making a huge difference in the lives of people hard hit by substance use. Saskatchewan has had more than 1,200 overdose deaths since 2020. It also has the highest rate of HIV in Canada. Nonetheless, Prairie Harm Reduction has been operating the safe consumption site for three years, without provincial funding.

Read More