123 search results for
Substance use
Recommendation 29:
Recognize the cyclical relationship between poverty and addictions and take measures to ensure that they are addressed simultaneously.
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Recommendation 21:
Rapid easy access to Indigenous women’s detox-on-demand where there is no time limit; Indigenous-run treatment centres; indoor overdose prevention sites and consumption sites for Indigenous women only; access to safer drug supply; and full spectrum of substitution treatment options.
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Recommendation 1:
Pursuant to section 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the City of Vancouver should apply to the federal Minister of Health for an exemption that applies to all people in the City of Vancouver against section 4(1) of the CDSA, on the basis that it is necessary for a medical or scientific purpose or is otherwise in the public interest.
In order to address the totality of overdose deaths in Vancouver, the exemption should apply broadly in terms of population, geography, and drug. The exemption should apply:
Support for a broad exemption is also provided by the extent of contamination in Vancouver’s street drug supply. In 2018, approximately 88% of tested street drug samples marketed as opioids tested positive for fentanyl. Fentanyl was found in samples believed to be depressants and stimulants alike. Street drugs themselves are constantly changing, and a static narcotic schedule (like the CDSA) is bound to be eclipsed by the reality of new compounds being formulated and used over time. Decriminalizing the possession of some drugs and not others, or some people and not others, would be arbitrary and illogical during a time when the risks are extreme for anyone who relies on an (ever-evolving) street market, however infrequently.
In order to address the totality of overdose deaths in Vancouver, the exemption should apply broadly in terms of population, geography, and drug. The exemption should apply:
- To any person who possesses drugs for personal use while in Vancouver and;
- In all instances meeting the offence criteria for simple possession, regardless of the substance in question.
Support for a broad exemption is also provided by the extent of contamination in Vancouver’s street drug supply. In 2018, approximately 88% of tested street drug samples marketed as opioids tested positive for fentanyl. Fentanyl was found in samples believed to be depressants and stimulants alike. Street drugs themselves are constantly changing, and a static narcotic schedule (like the CDSA) is bound to be eclipsed by the reality of new compounds being formulated and used over time. Decriminalizing the possession of some drugs and not others, or some people and not others, would be arbitrary and illogical during a time when the risks are extreme for anyone who relies on an (ever-evolving) street market, however infrequently.
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Recommendation 64:
Provide youth with personalized support to transition back into the work-place and transition off of government benefits in a stable way. Youth will need support stabilizing mental health and substance use to be successful in future employment opportunities.
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Recommendation 46:
Provide youth with access to treatment and abstinence-based programs. Ensure they have support workers that can help advocate and transport them to detox or treatment.
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Recommendation 45:
Provide youth with access to in-house substance use counselors and face to face NA/AA meetings. Some youth are not able to access the online meetings or they don’t work for them. Youth benefit from peer-based knowledge groups to de-stigmatize substance use.
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Recommendation 99:
Provide Indigenous women with individualized options for housing that supports choice and self-determination. For example, women should have the option to live in or outside of the DTES, for abstinence-based or harm reduction-based buildings, for women-only or housing that includes men, for housing that is with or without increased security and guest rules.
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Recommendation 9:
Provide funding for case managers and peer navigation staff in community organizations that serve people with mental health and substance use-related disabilities and complex issues such as homelessness to help them gain access to the system. Trained people with lived or living experience should fill these roles wherever possible to ensure low barrier, empathetic and responsive services.
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Recommendation 1:
Provide comprehensive advocacy and support for individuals being released from the hospital towards transition to shelter/housing.
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Recommendation 71:
Prioritize poverty reduction strategies that target those who have a higher risk of living in poverty due to intersectional disadvantage. This includes women, single senior women, single parents, Indigenous and racialized communities, immigrants and refugees, those engaged in survival sex work and other work in grey economies, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, those living with disabilities (taking into consideration the diverse needs of those with both short and long-term disability needs), those with mental health challenges, and those with substance-use disorders.
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