A Calling for Drug Policy reform in Canada

Benjamin Perrin, the former top criminal justice punishment policy adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, published a new book regarding the opioid crisis in Canada. His book, once again strongly confirmed the failures of the prohibition regime and the war on drugs. It provided direct insights from numerous representatives within the criminal justice system, the health care system, and the social welfare system.

It is now the time for the provincial and federal government to act on the overdose crisis in the midst of two public health emergencies. It is time to admit the supply and demand of illicit substances, including fentanyl at the street level, comes hand in hand. It is now the time to reduce the demand for unregulated and unsafe opioid supply and stop feeding into profits of criminal organization groups. It is now the time to end the stigmas around substance use disorders and develop evidence-based policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Overdose” provides recommendations of immediate actions that need to be adopted and implemented by policymakers. It is now the time to learn from our mistakes and develop comprehensive strategies that do not focus on fear-mongering, but inclusion and compassion.

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Great points for moving forward

Finally, a book that gives a greater scope of how to move forward with the opioid crisis. If only our "leaders" in politics could pay attention to the recommendations and do the right thing. I appreciate the attention towards compassion for people fighting this disease. It's time to understand that this is a medical and mental health crisis and not a choice on the part of the afflicted. Cheers to the organizations in Canada fighting to create an environment for people to safely use and test drugs during this very challenging time with a poisoned drug supply. I hope more resources appear along these lines. Excellent research!

Thank You

As someone who works in the field of harm reduction and social justice, fighting the war on drugs because our community is being poisoned to death by toxic drugs and failed policies and no one seems to care..... thank you so much! 💜 I wish everyone could take the time to read this, educate themselves on the drug poisoning crisis, build compassion and fight with us! #supportnotstigma

Engaging but biased

The author doesn’t address some of the very real concerns around safe supply. He is biased, for sure. He does a good job at presenting the pro-safe supply literature and the logic of Decriminalization. He could have spent a lot more time on the stunningly fast and universal support for harm reduction- one leg in the four pillar evidence based approach to problematic substance use. (The others are enforcement, which he fairly covers), treatment (short shrift),and prevention- (not discussed at all. See Iceland’s incredible work to prevent or delay substance use in youth) now being piloted in many parts of the world. Also dismisses abstinence, even though that remains the goal most often stated by those addicted. Yep. AA/NA often fail. Comparing it to programs that supply drugs, though, isn’t a fair comparison.

Everyone should read this book.

Definitely as a society we need to look at how the war on drugs had fail and turn to the research that shows how best to deal with addiction.

Very Informative, Research in depth

loved it. written very well and narrated very well. worth every penny. lot of knowledge.