Addiction

147 articles:
by Maggie Hulbert Adriana Di Stefano Gina Nicoll

Fund vital mental health interventions, not more policing

Mental health crises have been inextricably linked to policing and criminal justice. But a mental health crisis is exactly that – a health issue, not a criminal one.

by Gwyneth Boone

‘A heroic effort that went unrecognized’: Harm reduction workers facing their own burnout

Unlike mainstream health-care providers, harm reduction workers do not have benefits like danger pay or strong unions to support them. With jobs characterized by low wages, stigma and political red-tape, overworked harm reduction professionals are seeing burnout on the front lines.

by Jeremy Cygler

Safer supply prescribing not enough to end devastating opioid epidemic, experts say

Safer Opioid Supply is an attention-grabbing, controversial approach to combatting the opioid crisis. But for all the debate, both its proponents and critics in addictions medicine tend to agree that there is much more to addressing the opioid epidemic.

by Gwyneth Boone

‘Benzo-dope’ wave complicating fight against opioid epidemic

A wave of benzodiazepines is adulterating Toronto’s illegal opioid market, raising risks for users, complicating the fight against the opioid crisis, and imposing extra burdens on a COVID-stretched emergency response system.

by Lotus Alphonsus Stephanie Ryall Brintha Sivajohan

London’s supervised consumption site to fill ‘a desperate need in the community’

Drug users in London, Ontario, suffer from addiction-related health problems, like infectious disease, at a higher rate than the provincial average. But a permanent supervised consumption site, expected to open in mid-March 2022, could help.

by Maddi Dellplain ... ...

B.C. expansion to safe supply a start but ‘still too little too late’

British Columbia is expanding a program that prescribes alternatives to illicit drugs to people with substance use disorders. But critics warn that there are too many barriers built into the program, making it "too little, too late."

by Helen Senderovich Keisa Mokenela

Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: How good intentions can go wrong

Chemotherapy-induced vomiting is a serious complication for cancer patients. Some cannabinoids treat vomiting, but can also cause a rare, dangerous vomiting disorder. What happens when a treatment exacerbates the problem it aims to fix?

by John Oyston

Please, Health Canada, do not make vapers return to tobacco!

The federal government's planned ban on flavoured vapes is a terrible idea that could push many ex-smokers who vape back to smoking cigarettes, resulting in a large increase in disease, disability, and death.

by Neal Belluzzo

COVID-19 testing, vaccination rollout failing my patients with addiction 

As COVID-19 continues to devastate the most vulnerable, like my patients with addiction, the testing and vaccination system in Ontario is set up to further disempower them.

by Steven Parker Erin Tighe

Fighting fire with fire: Managed Alcohol Programs need to be widely implemented

I park my car but before I get out of the parking lot I need to check on the man and woman under their cardboard box to ensure they are still breathing.

by Anita Srivastava

Cannabis edibles pose serious risks to our kids

by Gagan Dhaliwal

Lost in the Weeds

by Nilanga Aki Bandara Thamindu Widyaratne Namal Wijesinghe Taye Negussie Vahid Mehrnoush

Smoking and hospitalization: A COVID-19 double whammy

by Michael Fralick John Fralick

Episode 6 – Rapid Fire Cardiovascular

by Paul Taylor

Is vaping more addictive than smoking?

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