BC ECHO on Substance Use
BC ECHO on Substance Use
Addiction Practice Pod, Episode 5: The Harms of Criminalizing Substance Use
Addiction Practice Pod, Episode 5: The Harms of Criminalizing Substance Use
Addiction Practice Pod, Episode 5: The Harms of Criminalizing Substance Use
Tuesday 24th November 2020
Dr. Christy Sutherland and David Ball discuss the harms of criminalizing substance use and offer insights for healthcare providers on mitigating these effects.
30 minutes
Informative
Empowering
Compassionate
Thought-provoking
Educational
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BC ECHO on Substance Use
Overview:
Categories:
Innovative Treatments & Recovery Paths
Sobriety Toolkit
Family Recovery from Addiction
Navigating Intimate Relationships
Nutritional Pathways to Recovery
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Get the buttons here!Breaking the Chains: How Criminalizing Substance Use Harms Us All
People who use drugs need to be treated like other people with medical conditions.
Imagine living in a world where seeking help for addiction could land you in jail. That's the harsh reality faced by many in British Columbia and across Canada. In this eye-opening episode of 'Addiction Practice Pod', addiction physician Dr. Christy Sutherland and journalist David Ball tackle the tough topic of substance use criminalization. They’re joined by some heavy-hitters in the field: Dr.
Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of British Columbia; Amber Streukens, a Peer Health Navigator with ANKORS and the Rural Empowered Drug Users Network (REDUN); and Scott Bernstein, a lawyer and Director of Policy at the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition. Together, they unpack the devastating effects of criminalizing drug use—how it isolates users, forces them into riskier behaviors, and discourages them from seeking the help they desperately need. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Dr.
Sutherland and Ball offer actionable insights for clinicians on how to mitigate these harms, even in the absence of systemic change. They stress the importance of treating individuals with respect, recognizing addiction as a medical condition, and advocating for a safe drug supply. Whether you’re a seasoned healthcare provider or new to the field, this episode provides valuable clinical pearls to help you better support your patients.
It's an essential listen for anyone committed to improving addiction care and advocating for meaningful change.