Canadian Journal of Law and Society / Revue Canadienne Droit et Société,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown, P. 1 - 23
Published: Dec. 20, 2024
Abstract
This
study
examines
the
recent
proliferation
of
manslaughter
charges
and
subsequent
prosecutions
brought
against
people
who
have
shared,
sold,
or
provided
drugs
that
led
to
overdose
death
in
Canada.
It
presents
a
documentary
analysis
news
media
coverage,
court
decisions,
Access-to-Information
Freedom-of-Information
requests
materials
from
criminal
legal
institutions.
The
finds
vast
majority
those
face
are
engaged
lowest
tiers
drug
trade,
themselves
use
drugs,
often
intimately
known
deceased.
Messaging
by
police,
prosecutors
courts
mobilize
crisis
as
rationale
for
these
prosecutions,
positioning
them
form
redress
impacted
communities.
phenomenon
illustrates
how
punitive
responses
deepened
alongside
retreat
law
other
circumstances,
contradicting
claims
therapeutic
turn
Canadian
policies.
Harm Reduction Journal,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
21(1)
Published: June 7, 2024
In
response
to
the
devastating
drug
toxicity
crisis
in
Canada
driven
by
an
unregulated
opioid
supply
predominantly
composed
of
fentanyl
and
analogues,
safer
programs
have
been
introduced.
These
provide
people
using
street-acquired
opioids
with
prescribed,
pharmaceutical
opioids.
We
use
six
core
components
identified
who
drugs
explore
participant
perspectives
on
first
year
operations
a
program
Victoria,
BC,
during
dual
public
health
emergencies
COVID-19
examine
whether
met
drug-user
defined
elements
effective
model.
International Journal of Drug Policy,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
129, P. 104478 - 104478
Published: June 15, 2024
The
unregulated
drug
toxicity
crisis
in
British
Columbia
(BC),
Canada,
has
claimed
over
14,000
lives
since
2016.
is
shaped
by
prohibitionist
policies
that
led
to
the
contamination
of
supply,
resulting
a
surge
fatal
and
non-fatal
overdose
events.
criminalization
users
exacerbates
this
situation,
pushing
individuals
into
carceral
systems
for
possession
and/or
social
practices
related
use.
This
commentary
examines
involvement
policing
development,
throughout
first
15
months
its
implementation,
BC's
decriminalization
framework.
We
highlight
concerns
regarding
police
discretion,
expansion
scope,
interweaving
logics
purport
be
public
health-oriented.
Research Square (Research Square),
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Jan. 15, 2025
Abstract
Background
Supervised
Consumption
Sites
(SCSs)
are
an
evidence-based
harm
reduction
strategy
to
reduce
the
risk
of
fatal
drug
poisonings.
However,
this
approach
has
faced
political
opposition
in
Canada,
resulting
closures
SCSs
some
provinces.
Our
study
aims
add
understanding
impact
SCS
by
exploring
perspectives
both
people
who
use
substances
(PWUS)
and
staff
members
organizations
that
continue
provide
services.
explores
aftermath
closure
what
was
once
North
America’s
busiest
SCS,
located
Lethbridge,
Alberta,
offering
a
contextualized
exploration
regressive
policies.
Methods
To
better
understand
closure,
our
adopts
descriptive
qualitative
design
explore
novel
phenomenon
within
unique
context
Alberta.
We
conducted
27
interviews
with
PWUS
10
Staff
Members
harm-reduction
chose
reflexive
thematic
analysis
(TA),
which
allows
for
critical
realist
contextual
data
analysis.
Results
developed
three
themes
based
on
first
theme
speaks
harms
Next,
second
highlights
participants
motivations
behind
ARCHES
closure.
last
how
navigate
approaches
while
responding
worsening
poisoning
crisis.
Conclusions
continued
need
expand
services
ongoing
advocacy
reverse
policy
decisions.
Social Science & Medicine,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
379, P. 118188 - 118188
Published: May 10, 2025
The
changing
landscape
of
substance
use
and
related
harms,
interventions,
priority
setting
in
Canada
has
intensified
public
commentary
about
youth
drugs.
Given
the
politicized
nature
these
issues
significant
role
media
shaping
societal
views
responses
to
use,
there
is
pragmatic
value
examining
how
represented
contemporary
coverage,
including
identify
potential
shortcomings.
This
study
employs
a
mixed-methods
critical
content
discourse
analysis
explore
characteristics
consequences
as
portrayed
Canadian
news
media.
Data
comprise
articles
(N
=
611)
published
between
2016
2024
referencing
retrieved
from
Newsstream.
Quantitative
was
used
collate
information
Types
Substances
commonly
referenced
media,
well
Nature
Problem,
Solutions
Proposed,
Experts
Represented.
informed
qualitative
analysis,
which
surfaced
key
problem
representations
use:
Uncritical
Generalized
Representations
Harms
on
Rise,
Insufficient
Resources,
Youth's
Lack
Agency.
also
distilled
pertaining
solutions
proposed
articles:
Missing
Youth
Perspectives,
Downstream
Interventions,
Individualistic
Devoid
Context.
Together,
findings
explicate
reflecting
and,
turn,
discourses
use.
From
findings,
we
discuss
opportunities
shift
broader
more
comprehensively
frame
address
Can J Public Health,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Dec. 10, 2024
The
crisis
of
unregulated
fentanyl-related
overdose
deaths
presents
a
significant
public
health
challenge.
This
article
describes
the
implementation
and
evaluation
four
Safer
Opioid
Supply
programs
(SSPs)
in
Ontario,
one
London
three
Toronto.
