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Searching for a Drug Strategy:
Seeking a response to substance-related harms
and the overdose crisis May 2024
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Dr. Geoff Bardwell
Assistant Professor, School of Public Health Sciences at University of Waterloo
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Dr. Geoff Bardwell, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at University of Waterloo. His research focuses on unregulated drug use and related drug policies, strategies, and public health interventions, primarily in small urban, rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. His research has informed policy and programmatic changes at organizational, municipal, and provincial levels. Prior completing his PhD, Dr. Bardwell worked in a variety of direct service roles with people who use drugs including street outreach and housing stability positions. You can read more about him here.
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Presentation
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View Presentation Slides
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On May 30, 2024, a town hall meeting was held to address the escalating opioid crisis and discuss comprehensive strategies involving prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and enforcement. The event featured several distinguished speakers who provided insights based on their expertise and experiences in various aspects of drug policy and public health.
Dr. Geoff Bardwell discussed the necessity of developing a local drug strategy in Waterloo Region, emphasizing the importance of involving individuals with lived experience and community partners. He outlined the essential components of a drug strategy, including identifying gaps in knowledge and services, setting clear objectives, and implementing evidence-based strategies. This town hall underscored the complexity of the opioid crisis and the necessity of a multifaceted approach involving prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement. The speakers collectively advocated for evidence-based strategies, comprehensive care, and collaborative efforts to effectively address the crisis and support affected individuals and communities. |
Guest Speakers: |
Evidence-Based and Collaborative Approaches
- Absence of a Comprehensive Strategy: Despite existing services and community willingness, Waterloo Region lacks a cohesive, community-led drug strategy.
- Evidence-Based and Adaptive Approaches: Strategies should be based on evidence, involve continuous monitoring and evaluation, and be tailored to local contexts.
- Collaborative Efforts: Effective responses require collaboration across different levels of government and with researchers, setting aside political differences.
Dr. Geoff Bardwell, a public health expert from the University of Waterloo, discusses the considerations necessary for developing a local drug strategy in the Waterloo Region. Bardwell, whose expertise includes drug policy, interventions like opioid agonist treatments, supervised consumption services, and the role of technology, highlights the absence of a comprehensive, community-led drug strategy in the region. Although there are existing services and community willingness, a cohesive strategy is lacking.
He begins by detailing the essential components of a drug strategy, emphasizing the involvement of individuals with lived experience and community partners. This collaboration is crucial for identifying gaps in knowledge and services and setting clear, measurable objectives. Bardwell references existing data, including coroner’s reports and a recent public health report, to illustrate the growing prevalence of drug inhalation over injection, and the significant increase in demand for smoking supplies in harm reduction programs.
Bardwell proposes several strategic goals and tactics, such as reducing opioid overdose deaths related to drug smoking by 40% by 2027. This could involve educational outreach by people with lived experience, implementing a warm referral system for opioid agonist treatment, and piloting smokable opioid agonist treatments. He stresses the importance of evidence-based approaches and adapting strategies to local contexts.
Additionally, Bardwell addresses the necessity of designing actionable plans with specific timelines and budgets, as well as continuous monitoring and evaluation to measure effectiveness and make necessary adjustments. He acknowledges the complexity of the issue and the need for multiple interventions, emphasizing that well-designed, implemented, and evaluated strategies are crucial.
He also highlights the challenges posed by the fragmentation across federal, provincial, and local governments, calling for collaborative efforts and setting aside political differences to effectively address the crisis.
He begins by detailing the essential components of a drug strategy, emphasizing the involvement of individuals with lived experience and community partners. This collaboration is crucial for identifying gaps in knowledge and services and setting clear, measurable objectives. Bardwell references existing data, including coroner’s reports and a recent public health report, to illustrate the growing prevalence of drug inhalation over injection, and the significant increase in demand for smoking supplies in harm reduction programs.
Bardwell proposes several strategic goals and tactics, such as reducing opioid overdose deaths related to drug smoking by 40% by 2027. This could involve educational outreach by people with lived experience, implementing a warm referral system for opioid agonist treatment, and piloting smokable opioid agonist treatments. He stresses the importance of evidence-based approaches and adapting strategies to local contexts.
Additionally, Bardwell addresses the necessity of designing actionable plans with specific timelines and budgets, as well as continuous monitoring and evaluation to measure effectiveness and make necessary adjustments. He acknowledges the complexity of the issue and the need for multiple interventions, emphasizing that well-designed, implemented, and evaluated strategies are crucial.
He also highlights the challenges posed by the fragmentation across federal, provincial, and local governments, calling for collaborative efforts and setting aside political differences to effectively address the crisis.