Awareness and knowledge of drug decriminalization among people who use drugs in British Columbia: a multi-method pre-implementation study.

BACKGROUND: In January 2023, British Columbia implemented a three-year exemption to Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, as granted by the federal government of Canada, to decriminalize the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. This decriminalization policy, the first in Canada, was announced in response to the overdose emergency in British Columbia as a public health intervention that could help curb overdose deaths by reducing the impact of criminalization and increasing access to health and social services through stigma reduction. METHODS: The current multi-method study examines people who use drugs' awareness and knowledge of British Columbia's decriminalization model through cross-sectional quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews among people who use drugs from September-November 2022, immediately prior to the implementation of decriminalization. RESULTS: Quantitative findings show that two-thirds (63%) of people who use drugs were aware of the policy, but substantial knowledge gaps existed about the legal protections afforded (threshold amount, substances included, drug trafficking, confiscation). The qualitative findings suggest that people who use drugs misunderstood the details of the provincial decriminalization model and often conflated it with regulation. Results suggest that information sharing about decriminalization were minimal pre-implementation, highlighting areas for knowledge dissemination about people who use drugs' rights under this policy. CONCLUSIONS: Given that decriminalization in British Columbia is a new and landmark reform, and that the success of decriminalization and its benefits may be undermined by poor awareness and knowledge of it, efforts to share information, increase understanding, and empower the community, may be required to promote its implementation and benefits for the community.

Effect of Risk Mitigation Guidance opioid and stimulant dispensations on mortality and acute care visits during dual public health emergencies: retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of opioid and stimulant Risk Mitigation Guidance (RMG) dispensations on mortality and acute care visits during the dual public health emergencies of overdose and covid-19. DESIGN: Population based retrospective cohort study. SETTING: British Columbia, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: 5882 people with opioid or stimulant use disorder who received RMG prescriptions for opioids (n=5356) and/or stimulants (n=1061) (535 received both) from 27 March 2020 to 31 August 2021. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All cause and overdose specific mortality and acute care visits in the week after RMG opioid or stimulant dispensation. RMG recipients were matched 1:1 with controls through use of high dimensional propensity score matching. Marginal structural models, executed on weekly time steps, were used to measure the effect of dispensations on outcomes. RESULTS: RMG opioid dispensations of one day or more were associated with reduced all cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 0.60) and overdose related mortality (0.45, 0.27 to 0.75) in the subsequent week. Dispensations of RMG stimulants (≥1 days) were not significantly associated with reduced all cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.50, 0.20 to 1.23) or overdose related mortality (0.53, 0.18 to 1.56). The protective effect of RMG opioid dispensations increased with the number of days the medications were dispensed in a given week. People who received four or more days of RMG opioid dispensations had reduced all cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.09, 0.04 to 0.21) and overdose related mortality (0.11, 0.04 to 0.32) compared with the control group. Opioid RMG dispensations did not significantly modify the odds of all cause or overdose related acute care visits. Dispensations of RMG stimulants were associated with a significant decrease in the odds of acute care visits for any cause but did not affect the odds of overdose related acute care visits. CONCLUSIONS: RMG opioid dispensations were associated with reduced overdose related and all cause mortality among a sample of people with opioid use disorder. Pharmaceutical alternatives to the illegal drug supply are promising interventions to reduce mortality in people with opioid use disorder.

Factors associated with obtaining prescribed safer supply among people accessing harm reduction services: findings from a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: With growing rates of unregulated drug toxicity death and concerns regarding COVID-19 transmission among people who use drugs, in March 2020, prescribed safer supply guidance was released in British Columbia. This study describes demographic and substance use characteristics associated with obtaining prescribed safer supply and examines the association between last 6-month harm reduction service access and obtaining prescribed safer supply. METHODS: Data come from the 2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey administered at 17 harm reduction sites across British Columbia. The sample included all who self-reported use of opioids, stimulants, or benzodiazepines in the prior 3 days (N = 491), given active use of these drugs was a requirement for eligibility for prescribed safer supply. The dependent variable was obtaining a prescribed safer supply prescription (Yes vs. No). The primary independent variables were access to drug checking services and access to overdose prevention services in the last 6 months (Yes vs. No). Descriptive statistics (Chi-square tests) were used to compare the characteristics of people who did and did not obtain a prescribed safer supply prescription. Multivariable logistic regression models were run to examine the association of drug checking services and overdose prevention services access with obtaining prescribed safer supply. RESULTS: A small proportion (n = 81(16.5%)) of the sample obtained prescribed safer supply. After adjusting for gender, age, and urbanicity, people who reported drug checking services access in the last 6 months had 1.67 (95% CI 1.00-2.79) times the odds of obtaining prescribed safer supply compared to people who had not contacted these services, and people who reported last 6 months of overdose prevention services access had more than twice the odds (OR 2.08 (95% CI 1.20-3.60)) of prescribed safer supply access, compared to people who did not access these services. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the proportion of respondents who received prescribed safer supply was low, suggesting that this intervention is not reaching all those in need. Harm reduction services may serve as a point of contact for referral to prescribed safer supply. Additional outreach strategies and service models are needed to improve the accessibility of harm reduction services and of prescribed safer supply in British Columbia.

Preferred stimulant safer supply and associations with methamphetamine preference among people who use stimulants in British Columbia: Findings from a 2021 cross-sectional survey.

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.

Using a cascade of care framework to identify gaps in access to medications for alcohol use disorder in British Columbia, Canada.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite the significant burden of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and availability of safe and effective medications for AUD (MAUD), population-level estimates of access and engagement in AUD-related care are limited. The aims of this study were to generate a cascade of care for AUD in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and to estimate the impacts of MAUD on health outcomes. DESIGN: This was a retrospective population-based cohort study using linked administrative health data. SETTING: British Columbia, Canada, 2015-2019. PARTICIPANTS: Using a 20% random sample of BC residents, we identified 7231 people with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder (PWAUD; overall prevalence = 0.7%). MEASUREMENTS: We developed a six-stage AUD cascade (from diagnosis to ≥6 months retention in MAUD) among PWAUD. We evaluated trends over time and estimated the impacts of access to MAUD on AUD-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits and death. FINDINGS: Between 2015 and 2019, linkage to AUD-related care decreased (from 80.4% to 46.5%). However, rates of MAUD initiation (11.4% to 24.1%) and retention for ≥1 (7.0% to 18.2%), ≥3 (1.2% to 4.3%) or ≥6 months (0.2% to 1.6%) increased significantly. In adjusted analyses, access to MAUD was associated with reduced odds of experiencing any AUD-related adverse outcomes, with longer retention in MAUD showing a trend to greater odds reduction: adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) ranging from 0.59 (0.48-0.71) for MAUD retention <1 month to 0.37 (0.21-0.67) for ≥6 months retention. CONCLUSIONS: Access to medications for alcohol use disorder among people with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder in British Colombia, Canada increased between 2015 and 2019; however, initiation and retention remained low. There was a trend between longer retention in medications for alcohol use disorder and greater reductions in the odds of experiencing alcohol use disorder-related adverse outcomes.

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.

BACKGROUND: The overdose crisis in North America has prompted system-level efforts to restrict opioid prescribing for chronic pain. However, little is known about how discontinuing or tapering prescribed opioids for chronic pain shapes overdose risk, including possible differential effects among people with and without concurrent opioid use disorder (OUD). We examined associations between discontinuation and tapering of prescribed opioids and risk of overdose among people on long-term opioid therapy for pain, stratified by diagnosed OUD and prescribed opioid agonist therapy (OAT) status. METHODS AND FINDINGS: For this retrospective cohort study, we used a 20% random sample of residents in the provincial health insurance client roster in British Columbia (BC), Canada, contained in the BC Provincial Overdose Cohort. The study sample included persons aged 14 to 74 years on long-term opioid therapy for pain (≥90 days with ≥90% of days on therapy) between October 2014 and June 2018 (n = 14,037). At baseline, 7,256 (51.7%) persons were female, the median age was 55 years (quartile 1-3: 47-63), 227 (1.6%) persons had been diagnosed with OUD (in the past 3 years) and recently (i.e., in the past 90 days) been prescribed OAT, and 483 (3.4%) had been diagnosed with OUD but not recently prescribed OAT. The median follow-up duration per person was 3.7 years (quartile 1-3: 2.6-4.0). Marginal structural Cox regression with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to estimate the effect of prescribed opioid treatment for pain status (discontinuation versus tapered therapy versus continued therapy [reference]) on risk of overdose (fatal or nonfatal), stratified by the following groups: people without diagnosed OUD, people with diagnosed OUD receiving OAT, and people with diagnosed OUD not receiving OAT. In marginal structural models with IPTW adjusted for a range of demographic, prescription, comorbidity, and social-structural exposures, discontinuing opioids (i.e., ≥7-day gap[s] in therapy) was associated with increased overdose risk among people without OUD (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12, 1.83; p = 0.004), people with OUD not receiving OAT (AHR = 3.18; 95% CI 1.87, 5.40; p < 0.001), and people with OUD receiving OAT (AHR = 2.52; 95% CI 1.68, 3.78; p < 0.001). Opioid tapering (i.e., ≥2 sequential decreases of ≥5% in average daily morphine milligram equivalents) was associated with decreased overdose risk among people with OUD not receiving OAT (AHR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.14, 0.67; p = 0.003). The main study limitations are that the outcome measure did not capture overdose events that did not result in a healthcare encounter or death, medication dispensation may not reflect medication adherence, residual confounding may have influenced findings, and findings may not be generalizable to persons on opioid therapy in other settings. CONCLUSIONS: Discontinuing prescribed opioids was associated with increased overdose risk, particularly among people with OUD. Prescribed opioid tapering was associated with reduced overdose risk among people with OUD not receiving OAT. These findings highlight the need to avoid abrupt discontinuation of opioids for pain. Enhanced guidance is needed to support prescribers in implementing opioid therapy tapering strategies with consideration of OUD and OAT status.

Prescription-related risk factors for opioid-related overdoses in the era of fentanyl contamination of illicit drug supply: A retrospective case-control study.

Background:We sought to quantify the association between clinical, physiological, and contextual factors and opioid-related overdose, specifically focusing on current and past use of select prescription medications. Methods: We conducted a case-control study of individuals who experienced a non-fatal opioid-related overdose between January 2015 and November 2016 in British Columbia, Canada. We matched 8,831 cases to 44,155 controls on birth year, sex, and local health area of residence and examined 5-year prescribing history for opioids for pain, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), benzodiazepines/z-drugs, and other psychoactive medications. Results: The overall prevalence of prescription opioid drug use was generally low in the study population. Cases had a relatively higher use of selected prescription medications, a higher physical and mental morbidity burden, and were less connected to health services compared with controls. For opioids for pain, current therapy was associated with experiencing an overdose (OR = 8.5, 95%CI: 7.3-10); history of long-term use had a stronger association than history of short-term use (OR = 2.9, 95%CI: 2.6-3.3 vs OR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.5-1.8, respectively). While persons on MOUD were more likely to overdose compared to persons who were not on therapy (OR = 2.0, 95%CI 1.7-2.4), recent discontinuation of MOUD greatly increased the likelihood of overdose (OR = 25.6, 95%CI 17.5-37.4). Active therapy of benzodiazepines/z-drugs and other sedating medications also significantly increased the likelihood of overdose. Conclusions: While this study supports expansion of efforts to prevent overdoses among individuals actively using opioids for pain and improve retention among those on MOUD, it is also important to address other clinical, physiological, and contextual risk and protective factors to help curb the current overdose crisis.

Police officers' knowledge, understanding and implementation of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act in BC, Canada.

INTRODUCTION: In May 2017, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA) was enacted in Canada - amending the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. For people present at an overdose, the GSDOA offers legal protection from simple drug possession as well as breach of charges related to simple possession including probation, pre-trial release, conditional sentences, and parole. It is unclear if the GSDOA has been fully implemented by police officers. METHODS: We conducted 22 key informant interviews with police officers across British Columbia, Canada. Convenience sampling was initially employed, followed by purposeful sampling to ensure diversity in jurisdictions and participant demographics (e.g. age, sex, policing experience). A thematic analysis was conducted RESULTS: Our findings show that awareness and knowledge of the GSDOA vary among police officers. Many officers reported being unaware of the GSDOA or could not correctly define for whom and when the GSDOA applies. Information about the GSDOA was largely disseminated via email. Many officers expressed concerns with this dissemination method given the potential that key legal information would be overlooked. Police officers reported that not arresting for simple possession at an overdose was common practice, even before the enactment of the GSDOA. Thus, some officers did not believe that the GSDOA considerably changed police practices. Finally, police officers reported that they exercised discretion applying the GSDOA. Police officer interpretation of the intention and content of the GSDOA had critical implications for how they applied it in practice. CONCLUSION: Effective education for law enforcement, including the dissemination of information beyond email, is needed to improve officers' awareness and understanding of the GSDOA. Given officers' use of discretion when applying the GSDOA, greater legal reforms, such as de jure decriminalization, may be required to fully protect persons at an overdose from simple possession for controlled substances.

Comparison of rates of opioid withdrawal symptoms and reversal of opioid toxicity in patients treated with two naloxone dosing regimens: a retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: When managing opioid overdose (OD) patients, the optimal naloxone regimen should rapidly reverse respiratory depression while avoiding opioid withdrawal. Published naloxone administration guidelines have not been empirically validated and most were developed before fentanyl OD was common. In this study, rates of opioid withdrawal symptoms (OW) and reversal of opioid toxicity in patients treated with two naloxone dosing regimens were evaluated. METHODS: In this retrospective matched cohort study, health records of patients who experienced an opioid OD treated in two urban emergency departments (ED) during an ongoing fentanyl OD epidemic were reviewed. Definitions for OW and opioid reversal were developed a priori. Low dose naloxone (LDN; ≤0.15 mg) and high dose naloxone (HDN; >0.15 mg) patients were matched in a 1:4 ratio based upon initial respiratory rate (RR). The proportion of patients who developed OW and who met reversal criteria were compared between those treated initially with LDN or HDN. Odds ratios (OR) for OW and opioid reversal were obtained via logistic regression stratified by matched sets and adjusted for age, sex, pre-naloxone GCS, and presence of non-opioid drugs or alcohol. RESULTS: Eighty LDN patients were matched with 299 HDN patients. After adjustment, HDN patients were more likely than LDN patients to have OW after initial dose (OR = 8.43; 95%CI: 1.96, 36.3; p = 0.004) and after any dose (OR = 2.56; 95%CI: 1.17, 5.60; p = 0.019). HDN patients were more likely to meet reversal criteria after initial dose (OR = 2.73; 95%CI: 1.19, 6.26; p = 0.018) and after any dose (OR = 6.07; 95%CI: 1.81, 20.3; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: HDN patients were more likely to have OW but also more likely to meet reversal criteria versus LDN patients.

Known fentanyl use among clients of harm reduction sites in British Columbia, Canada.

BACKGROUND: North America is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic and it is commonly suggested that exposure to fentanyl is unknown. Using a provincial survey of harm reduction site clients, we aimed to characterize known and unknown fentanyl use and their correlates among people who use drugs in British Columbia, Canada. METHODS: We recruited 486 clients who were >18 years old and 316 agreed to provide a urine sample for substance use testing. Reported known fentanyl use was defined as a three-level categorical variable assessing recent (i.e., in the previous three days) fentanyl exposure: (i) known exposure; (ii) unknown exposure; and (iii) no exposure. We also assessed any exposure to fentanyl (Yes vs. No) confirmed by urinalysis. Survey data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Multinomial logistic regression and modified Poisson regression models were built to examine different correlates of exposure to fentanyl. RESULTS: Median age of the participants was 40 (IQR: 32-49). Out of the 303 eligible participants, 38.7% (117) reported known fentanyl use, 21.7% (66) had unknown fentanyl use, and 39.6% (120) had no recent fentanyl use. In the adjusted multinomial logistic regression model and in comparison with unknown fentanyl use, recent known fentanyl use was significantly associated with self-report of methadone use (aRRR = 3.18), heroin/morphine use (aRRR = 4.40), and crystal meth use (aRRR = 2.95). Moreover, any recent exposure to fentanyl (i.e., positive urine test for fentanyl) was significantly associated with living in urban settings (aPR = 1.49), and self-reporting recent cannabis use (aPR = 0.73), crystal meth (aPR = 1.45), and heroin/morphine use (aPR = 2.48). CONCLUSION: The landscape of illicit opioid use is changing in BC and more people are using fentanyl knowingly. The increasing prevalence of known fentanyl use is concerning and calls for further investments in public awareness and public policy efforts regarding fentanyl exposure and risks.

Correlates of take-home naloxone kit possession among people who use drugs in British Columbia: A cross-sectional analysis.

INTRODUCTION: In response to North America's opioid crisis, access to naloxone has increased. However, our understanding of the correlates of possessing a naloxone kit is limited. This study seeks to determine the prevalence and correlates of kit possession among people who use drugs (PWUD) in British Columbia (BC) Canada. METHODS: This analysis used cross-sectional survey data collected in 2018 from 27 harm reduction sites in BC. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression with robust error variance were used to examine factors associated with naloxone kit possession. RESULTS: Overall, 70.7% (n = 246) of the total sample (n = 348) reported having a naloxone kit. Having a kit was significantly associated with self-reported opioid use in comparison with non-opioid use (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (APR): 2.39; 95% CI: 1.33-4.32). Those reporting 'injection' as their preferred drug administration method were also more likely to possess a kit compared to those that predominantly preferred inhalation, smoking, or snorting (APR: 2.39; 95% CI: 1.25-4.58). Urbanicity, age, gender, and having regular housing were not significantly associated with possessing a kit. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine naloxone kit possession across geographies, including non-urban areas. Lower kit possession among those that preferred inhaling, smoking or snorting drugs may reflect misconceptions around overdose risk of non-injection drug administration. Our study supports the need for enhanced awareness around the risk of opioid overdose with non-injection administration and suggests a need for comprehensive public health messaging that aims to address overdose risk and response.

Naloxone urban legends and the opioid crisis: what is the role of public health?

As the overdose crisis in North America continues to deepen, public health leaders find themselves responding to sensational media stories, many of which carry forms and themes that mark them as urban legends.This article analyzes one set of media accounts - stories of misuse of naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote distributed to people who use drugs - through the lens of social science scholarship on urban legends. We suggest that these stories have met a public need to feel a sense of safety in uncertain times, but function to reinforce societal views of people who use drugs as undeserving of support and resources.Our field has a duty to speak out in favour of evidence-based programs that support the health of people who use drugs, but the optimal communication strategies are not always clear. Drawing attention to the functions and consequences of urban legends can help frame public health communication in a way that responds to needs without reinforcing prejudices, with application beyond naloxone to the other urban legends that continue to emerge in response to this crisis.

Effects of the new prescribing standards in British Columbia on consumption of opioids and benzodiazepines and z drugs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of the 2016 College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia's (CPSBC's) opioid and benzodiazepine and z drug prescribing standards on the use of these medications in British Columbia. DESIGN: Interrupted time-series analysis of community-prescribing records over a 30-month period: January 2015 to June 2017. SETTING: British Columbia. PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of British Columbia residents with filled prescriptions during the study period. INTERVENTION: Introduction of CPSBC's opioid and benzodiazepine and z drug prescribing standards on June 1, 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total weekly consumption of opioids (measured in morphine equivalents) and benzodiazepines and z drugs (measured in diazepam equivalents); and total monthly users of each class of medication. RESULTS: Total consumption of both medication classes began to decline in late 2015, and the rate of decrease did not statistically significantly change following the implementation of the CPSBC standards in June 2016. In contrast, introduction of the standards was associated with an immediate 2% decrease in the number of monthly users of opioids for pain (P < .001), culminating in a 9% decrease over the course of the following year (P < .001). This trend was driven largely by a decrease in the number of continuing users; minimal change was seen in the number of new users during the study period. Trends in monthly users of benzodiazepines and z drugs mirrored those seen for opioids for pain. CONCLUSION: Implementation of the 2016 CPSBC standards did not change a pre-existing downward trend in consumption of opioids or benzodiazepines and z drugs that began 6 months earlier. However, the standards did have a small effect on the number of monthly users of these medications, with a decrease in opioid prescribing among continuing users. Given the risk of destabilization of patients who are discontinued from opioid therapy, future research should assess how patient health outcomes are related to changing prescribing practices.

Correlates of seeking emergency medical help in the event of an overdose in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from the Take Home Naloxone program.

BACKGROUND: British Columbia (BC), Canada, is experiencing an unprecedented number of opioid overdoses mainly due to the contamination of illicit drugs with fentanyl and its analogues. Reluctance to seek emergency medical help (i.e., by calling 9-1-1) has been identified as a barrier to optimal care for overdose victims. This study aimed to identify the correlates of seeking help during an overdose event when naloxone was administered via BC's Take Home Naloxone (THN) program. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we reviewed administrative records (from July 2015 to December 2017) about overdose events submitted by THN participants when they received their replacement naloxone kits (n = 2350). The primary outcome of the study was reported calling 9-1-1 and modified Poisson regression models were built to investigate the factors associated with help-seeking during an overdose event. RESULTS: Most overdose victims were men (69.0%) and >30 years old (61.5%). Overall, participants reported calling 9-1-1 in 1310 (55.7%) overdose events. In the multivariable model, the likelihood of calling 9-1-1 was significantly and positively associated with the overdose victim being male and receiving rescue breathing. The likelihood of calling 9-1-1 was significantly and negatively associated with the overdoses occurring in private residences and health regions other than Vancouver Coastal which delivers services to mostly urban residents. CONCLUSION: Overall, medical help was sought for 55.7% of overdoses where naloxone was administered. Overdoses occurring among male victims as well as those receiving higher doses of naloxone and mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing were associated with a higher likelihood of help-seeking by responders. Future interventions need to encourage people who witness an overdose to seek emergency medical help.

Patterns and history of prescription drug use among opioid-related drug overdose cases in British Columbia, Canada, 2015-2016.

BACKGROUND: British Columbia is the epicenter of the current fentanyl-related overdose crisis in Canada. Our study characterizes prescribing histories of people who had an opioid-related overdose compared to matched controls. METHODS: We examined linked administrative data for individuals who overdosed between January 1, 2015 and November 30, 2016. Past prescriptions over five years were assessed for opioids for pain, opioid agonist therapy, benzodiazepines/z-drugs, antidepressants, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids, mood stabilizers and anti-epileptics, muscle relaxants, and other sedating medications. Prescribing history of 9964 cases was compared with that of 49,820 matched controls. RESULTS: Overdose cases were more likely to be prescribed opioids for pain and to have used prescription opioids on a long-term basis in the previous five years compared to controls. However, at the time of overdose, 92% of men and 86% of women did not have an active opioid for pain prescription, and approximately half had not filled one in the past five years. Those who overdosed tended to have more prescriptions for psychotropic substances than controls. Fewer than 10% of cases had an active prescription for opioid agonist therapy and most were not on treatment in the past. CONCLUSIONS: Low prevalence of active prescriptions for opioids for pain at the time of overdose suggests that opioid prescribing plays a limited short-term impact in the current fentanyl-related crisis of overdoses. While liberal opioid prescribing practices may have contributed to the development of the current overdose crisis, regulation and enforcement of clinicians' prescribing practices will likely have limited impact in reducing overdoses.

Patterns of health care utilization among people who overdosed from illegal drugs: a descriptive analysis using the BC Provincial Overdose Cohort. / Habitudes d'utilisation des soins de santé chez les personnes ayant fait une surdose de drogues illicites : analyse descriptive fondée sur la Cohorte provinciale des victimes de surdoses de la Colombie-Britannique.

INTRODUCTION: British Columbia (BC) declared a public health emergency in April 2016 in response to a rapid rise in overdose deaths. Further understanding of health care utilization is needed to inform prevention strategies for individuals who overdose from illegal drugs. METHODS: The Provincial Overdose Cohort includes linked administrative data on health care utilization by individuals who experienced an illegal drug overdose event in BC between 1 January 2015 and 30 November 2016. Overdose cases were identified using data from ambulance services, coroners' investigations, poison control centre calls and hospital, emergency department and physician administrative records. In total, 10 455 overdose cases were identified and compared with 52 275 controls matched on age, sex and area of residence for a descriptive analysis of health care utilization. RESULTS: Two-thirds (66%) of overdose cases were male and about half (49%) were 20-39 years old. Over half of the cases (54%) visited the emergency department and about one-quarter (26%) were admitted to hospital in the year before the overdose event, compared with 17% and 9% of controls, respectively. Nevertheless, nearly onefifth (19%) of cases were recorded leaving the emergency department without being seen or against medical advice. High proportions of both cases (75%) and controls (72%) visited community-based physicians. Substance use and mental health-related concerns were the most common diagnoses among people who went on to overdose. CONCLUSION: People who overdosed frequently accessed the health care system in the year before the overdose event. In light of the high rates of health care use, there may be opportunities to identify at-risk individuals before they overdose and connect them with targeted programs and evidence-based interventions. Further work using the BC Provincial Overdose Cohort will focus on identifying risk factors for overdose events and death by overdose.

INTRODUCTION: La Colombie-Britannique (C.-B.) a déclaré un état d'urgence en santé publique en avril 2016 en réaction à une augmentation rapide du nombre de décès par surdose. Une meilleure compréhension de l'utilisation des soins de santé est nécessaire pour guider les stratégies de prévention pour les personnes qui font une surdose de drogues illicites. MÉTHODOLOGIE: La cohorte provinciale des victimes de surdoses comprend des données administratives couplées sur l'utilisation des soins de santé par les personnes qui ont été victimes d'une surdose de drogues illicites en Colombie-Britannique entre le 1er janvier 2015 et le 30 novembre 2016. Les cas de surdose ont été relevés à l'aide de données provenant des services ambulanciers, des enquêtes des coroners, des appels aux centres antipoison et des dossiers administratifs des hôpitaux, des services d'urgence et des médecins. Au total, 10 455 cas de surdose ont été recensés et comparés à 52 275 témoins appariés selon l'âge, le sexe et la zone de résidence en vue d'une analyse descriptive de l'utilisation des soins de santé. RÉSULTATS: Les deux tiers (66 %) des cas de surdose concernaient des hommes, et environ la moitié (49 %) les 20 à 39 ans. Plus de la moitié des cas (54 %) se sont rendus au service d'urgence, et environ le quart (26 %) ont été admis à l'hôpital au cours de l'année précédant la surdose, comparativement à respectivement 17 % et 9 % des témoins. Cependant, près d'un cinquième (19 %) des cas ont été enregistrés comme ayant quitté le service d'urgence sans avoir été vus par le médecin ou contre son avis. Des proportions élevées de cas (75 %) et de témoins (72 %) ont consulté un médecin en milieu communautaire. La consommation de substances et des problèmes en santé mentale ont été les diagnostics les plus courants chez les personnes qui ont fait une surdose. CONCLUSION: Les personnes qui ont fait une surdose ont souvent eu accès au système de soins de santé au cours de l'année précédant la surdose. Compte tenu de ces taux élevés d'utilisation des soins de santé, on pourrait peut-être repérer les personnes à risque avant qu'elles ne fassent de surdose et les aiguiller vers des programmes ciblés et des interventions fondées sur des données probantes. Il est prévu d'utiliser la cohorte provinciale des victimes de surdoses de la Colombie-Britannique pour déterminer les facteurs de risque relatifs aux surdoses et aux décès par surdose.

Perceived harms and harm reduction strategies among people who drink non-beverage alcohol: Community-based qualitative research in Vancouver, Canada.

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing interest in harm reduction initiatives for street-involved people who drink alcohol, including non-beverage alcohol such as mouthwash and hand sanitizer. Limited evidence exists to guide these initiatives, and a particular gap is in research that prioritizes the experiences and perspectives of drinkers themselves. This research was conducted to explore the harms of what participants termed "illicit drinking" as perceived by people who engage in it, to characterize the steps this population takes to reduce harms, and to identify additional interventions that may be of benefit. METHODS: This participatory qualitative research drew on ethnographic approaches including a series of 14″town hall"-style meetings facilitatied and attended by people who self identify as drinking illicit or non-beverage alcohol (n = 60) in Vancouver, British Columbia. This fieldwork was supplemented with four focus groups to explore emerging issues. RESULTS: Participants in the meetings described the harms they experienced as including unintentional injury; harms to physical health; withdrawal; violence, theft, and being taken advantage of; harms to mental health; reduced access to services; and interactions with police. Current harm reduction strategies involved balancing the risks and benefits of drinking in groups and adopting techniques to avoid withdrawal. Proposed future initiatives included non-residential managed alcohol programs and peer-based supports. CONCLUSIONS: Illicit drinkers describe harms and harm reductions strategies that have much in common with those of other illicit substances, and can be interpreted as examples of and responses to structural and everyday violence. Understanding the perceived harms of alcohol use by socially marginalized drinkers and their ideas about harm reduction will help tailor programs to meet their needs.

Results of a participatory needs assessment demonstrate an opportunity to involve people who use alcohol in drug user activism and harm reduction.

BACKGROUND: Drug users' organizations have made progress in recent years in advocating for the health and human rights of people who use illicit drugs but have historically not emphasized the needs of people who drink alcohol. METHODS: This paper reports on a qualitative participatory needs assessment with people who use illicit substances in British Columbia, Canada. We held workshops in 17 communities; these were facilitated by people who use illicit drugs, recorded with ethnographic fieldnotes, and analyzed using critical theory. RESULTS: Although the workshops were targeted to people who use illicit drugs, people who primarily consume alcohol also attended. An unexpected finding was the potential for drug users' organizations and other harm reduction programs to involve "illicit drinkers": people who drink non-beverage alcohol (e.g. mouthwash, rubbing alcohol) and those who drink beverage alcohol in criminalized ways (e.g., homeless drinkers). Potential points of alliance between these groups are common priorities (specifically, improving treatment by health professionals and the police, expanding housing options, and implementing harm reduction services), common values (reducing surveillance and improving accountability of services), and polysubstance use. CONCLUSIONS: Despite these potential points of alliance, there has historically been limited involvement of illicit drinkers in drug users' activism. Possible barriers to involvement of illicit drinkers in drug users' organizations include racism (as discourses around alcohol use are highly racialized), horizontal violence, the extreme marginalization of illicit drinkers, and knowledge gaps around harm reduction for alcohol. Understanding the commonalities between people who use drugs and people who use alcohol, as well as the potential barriers to alliance between them, may facilitate the greater involvement of illicit drinkers in drug users' organizations and harm reduction services.

A qualitative study of the perceived effects of blue lights in washrooms on people who use injection drugs.

BACKGROUND: Blue lights are sometimes placed in public washrooms to discourage injection drug use. Their effectiveness has been questioned and concerns raised that they are harmful but formal research on the issue is limited to a single study. We gathered perceptions of people who use injection drugs on the effects of blue lights with the aim of informing harm reduction practice. METHODS: We interviewed 18 people in two Canadian cities who currently or previously used injection drugs to better understand their perceptions of the rationale for and consequences of blue lights in public washrooms. RESULTS: Participants described a preference for private places to use injection drugs, but explained that the need for an immediate solution would often override other considerations. While public washrooms were in many cases not preferred, their accessibility and relative privacy appear to make them reasonable compromises in situations involving urgent injecting. Participants understood the aim of blue lights to be to deter drug use. The majority had attempted to inject in a blue-lit washroom. While there was general agreement that blue lights do make injecting more difficult, a small number of participants were entirely undeterred by them, and half would use a blue-lit washroom if they needed somewhere to inject urgently. Participants perceived that, by making veins less visible, blue lights make injecting more dangerous. By dispersing public injection drug use to places where it is more visible, they also make it more stigmatizing. Despite recognizing these harms, more than half of the participants were not opposed to the continued use of blue lights. CONCLUSIONS: Blue lights are unlikely to deter injection drugs use in public washrooms, and may increase drug use-related harms. Despite recognizing these negative effects, people who use injection drugs may be reluctant to advocate against their use. We attempt to reconcile this apparent contradiction by interpreting blue lights as a form of symbolic violence and suggest a parallel with other emancipatory movements for inspiration in advocating against this and other oppressive interventions.

Out of our inner city backyards: re-scaling urban environmental health inequity assessment.

In this paper, we report the results of a three-year research project (2008-2011) that aimed to identify urban environmental health inequities using a photography-mediated qualitative approach adapted for comparative neighbourhood-level assessment. The project took place in Vancouver, Toronto, and Winnipeg, Canada and involved a total of 49 inner city community researchers who compared environmental health conditions in numerous neighbourhoods across each city. Using the social determinants of health as a guiding framework, community researchers observed a wide range of differences in health-influencing private and public spaces, including sanitation services, housing, parks and gardens, art displays, and community services. The comparative process enabled community researchers to articulate in five distinct ways how such observable conditions represented system level inequities. The findings inform efforts to shift environmental health intervention from constricted action within derelict urban districts to more coordinated mobilization for health equity in the city.