Keeping those struggling with drug addictions alive must be the primary goal

While warnings are a valuable tool in making people aware of the dangers, they usually happen once this has already hit the streets and, sadly, are too late for too many people; better strategies are necessary if we are to have any impact on this problem.

Those of us working on the front lines in programs dealing with mental health and addictions often hear about what is happening on the street before it becomes public knowledge.

Therefore, it came as no surprise a few weeks ago when the police in Newfoundland and Labrador put out a public notice warning of increased toxicity in drugs that were circulating that may have contributed to five sudden deaths in one week.

Such warnings have been happening periodically for a while now and I suspect that this is the case across the country as well.

While warnings are a valuable tool in making people aware of the dangers, they usually happen once this has already hit the streets and, sadly, are too late for too many people; better strategies are necessary if we are to have any impact on this problem.

INTERVENTIONS

The primary concern around drug toxicity is that the supply that is hitting our streets is coming from illegal sources and often contains toxic drugs such as fentanyl, something that the buyer does not know and which may place them at a high risk of overdose.

To provide some protection, most programs that provide services to drug users offer test strips to people and encourage them to test what they are using before ingestion, offer naloxone kits in case of overdose and encourage people to not use alone in case the use of naloxone is required.

While we know that these interventions have saved countless lives, it is very difficult to measure how effective it is as there's no way of knowing if people are using these tools unless there is an overdose and they report it.

The stigma attached to drug use in many sectors of our society makes collecting this valuable information very difficult.

SAFE SUPPLY

Another intervention that has been gaining traction in recent years is the development of safe supply programs, where prescribed medications are provided to people in a controlled environment as an alternative to the use of potentially toxic street drugs.

These programs also offer connections to other health and social services, such as treatment programs to keep people alive until they are hopefully ready to get help.

This approach is being used in some provinces, in particular British Columbia, and it has the support of the federal Liberal Party. The Conservative Party of Canada is opposed to this approach and favour a policy that focuses on treatment services for those dealing with addiction.

Provinces each have their own approaches with a mix of different services being offered with varying levels of financial support earmarked to deal with this problem.

NO DEFINITIVE ANSWER

The only thing that is clear in this ongoing crisis is that there is no definitive answer.

While we as a society are trying to figure out how to deal with this, the situation is getting worse, and the number of Canadians dying is rising. As with many of the problems we face as a society, we can't afford a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

There's a need for programs that meet people where they are, with the goal of helping them move toward recovery when they are motivated and ready.

Keeping them alive until this time comes is the primary goal of safe supply programs and funding programs that do this are important.

At the same time, increased funding and quick access to treatment programs are equally vital as too many people end up on waitlists when this time comes.

COSTS

Cost is often cited when people are opposed to increased funding for these programs, with some stating they don't agree with taxpayer money going toward providing drugs to users.

While not easy to accept, the cost to taxpayers in dealing with crime around the illegal drug supply and those who use it is astronomically higher.

More importantly, when it comes to human life and Canadian families who have lost a loved one to overdose, the emotional cost far outweighs anything financial.