A New Approach:
How Communities Can Better Meet the Needs
of People Who Use Drugs
Travis Lupick
August 19, 2024
Host: Travis Lupick, Journalist and Author
Panelists:
Ose Omoregie, Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth
Laura Shaver, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users
Sarah Blyth, Overdose Prevention Society
Ronni Nordal, Nordal Law
This panel discussion, moderated by Travis Lupick (journalist and author of Fighting for Space: How a Group of Drug Users Transformed One City’s Struggle with Addiction) focuses on addressing substance use and addictions in the context of community safety at the local level.
Canada continues to face an opioid crisis that is further exacerbated by stigma, unequal access to services and supports, and harmful drug laws.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a substantial decrease in the availability and capacity of substance use treatment and harm reduction services, and these have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
This session centres on the voices of people with lived/living experience, their loved ones, and service providers to explore:
Culturally safe and anti-racist approaches to service delivery for young people who use drugs
Harm reduction and stigma reduction initiatives in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
The challenges of navigating health and social services and recommendations on how to improve them
Drug policy advocacy and how to best meet the needs of people who use drugs
Travis Lupick’s book:
