Doctors for Safer Drug Policy

@dsdp.ca

1349 Followers 437 Following

A group of Canadian physicians who care for people who use substances and advocate for safer, more compassionate, evidence-based healthcare policies.

As fentanyl concentration in the US unregulated drug supply falls, we see a correlated fall in deaths.
Some bad hombres sharing a laugh while setting up for some good ol' fashioned harm reduction.
Dr. Kelsey Roden, being a badass.
Check out the full events listings and registration info at namingacrisis.ca
Victoria Arts Council presents Naming a Crisis Community Art Show, Bay Centre, 1150 Douglas Street, April 7 to 26.
Event poster. "In Sadness and Rage." Land acknowledgement at the top. Tuesday April 14, 1-3:30pm. Speakers include Leslie McBain from MSTH, Lisa Lapointe Former BC Chief Coroner, and Jack Philips and Mark Willson from Solid Outreach Society.
It’a a black and white photo of a cat, from one of those cheap cat calendars. A piece of paper cut in the shape of a word bubble has been taped over the image. The text reads “if the public at large accepts preventable mass deaths as inevitable, the system will maintain itself.”
Screenshot from "Committee of the Whole" on "Bill 32 — Mental Health Amendment Act (No. 2), 2025" in the BC legislature. Text reads: "The B.C. Human Rights Commissioner stated that involuntary treatment for substance use violates autonomy and self-determination, disproportionately harms Indigenous, Black, disabled, gender-diverse and low-income people, lacks evidentiary support and cannot be justified when B.C.’s voluntary community-based system is profoundly under-resourced. In a joint letter, Harm Reduction Nurses Association and Doctors for Safer Drug Policy write that compulsory substance use treatment is ineffective and dangerous. They state — and I’m coming to a question: 'The evidence is clear and consistent. Compulsory treatment has no demonstrated long-term benefit. Relapse rates are extraordinarily high. One study reported 96.4 percent relapse within two months after mandated treatment. The risks of overdose and death are significantly elevated immediately after discharge from compulsory treatment. Involuntary settings sever trust, increase trauma and escalate risk. Leading human rights scholars have concluded that mass detention for treatment constitutes a grave violation of human rights and cannot be justified by claims of substance use disorder alone. 'As research and our clinical experience demonstrate, people are most vulnerable to overdose after periods of forced abstinence. Coercion increases risk; it does not reduce it.'"
A raised fist, clenched in power. Text reads: "WE REFUSE: Health Workers Against Involuntary Care. A joint statement and call to action from Harm Reduction Nurses Association and Doctors for Safer Drug Policy." Below that are logos for HRNA and DSDP.
The BC government’s rushed proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act.
Volunteers hang out with snacks and harm reduction supplies. A Doctors for Safer Drug Policy banner flies proudly.
Jay the Cree gives an incredible hoop dancing performance which closed out the Victoria event with a feeling of positivity and hope.
Die in at the BC leg.
Members look on as our speakers bring down the hammer. One of our doctors holds a sign that shows one of the things that is killing our patients: "Lack of Safe Supply."
Hoon tells us the truth.
One of our co-founders, Dr. Kelsey Roden, tells the government what we need.
Blood on the hands of the BC Government.
A supercut of Lisa Lapointe, Dr. Kelsey Roden, Hoon, and Jan Mahoney at our die in on September 1.
Jay Genaille does an incredible Cree hoop dance in front of the B.C. legislature.
Poster for International Overdose Awareness Day. The official day is August 31, but this year Doctors for Safer Drug Policy and Moms Stop the Harm are co-organizing a die in on September 1. 11 am to 1pm. Across many cities in British Columbia, but in Victoria at the legislature. Email info@DSDP.ca if you have more questions.
A smoking area outside of RJH. The garbage can remains but the sitting benches have been removed.
Support Don't Punish. Care Not Criminalization. June 26. 1PM Pacific time.
Support. Don't Punish. Care, not criminalization. June 26, 1PM Pacific Time. Hosted by HRAC.
It’s an OPS. It’s sunny. The grass is green. An adorable toddler wears a unicorn suit and holds a sign that reads “dead people don’t recover.” Overdose prevention sites are safe spaces for children.
Perfectly behaved children, doing harm reduction.
Our loveable canine mascot, doing harm reduction.
Dr. Kelsey Roden stands in front of our overdose prevention site at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. It’s a beautiful sunny day. Hand painted signs read “harm reduction saves lives” and “saving lives is not controversial.”
When government decisions are made about matters that affect Indigenous communities disproportionately, without including the voices of Indigenous people in the discussion, this is systemic racism.
Doctors and Moms holding colourful signs with pro harm reduction slogans in front of a badass OPS near Royal Jubilee Hospital.
A proud papa and his five year old, hanging out totally safely at an OPS.
A map of where the Feb 19, 2025 Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) will be set up on Richmond Road between Haultain Street and Adanac Street, close to the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, BC. There is a purple pin drop with the Doctors For Safer Drug Policy logo where the OPS is.
Doctors from DSDP stand alongside Leslie McBain of Moms Stop the Harm and former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe at their newest pop up overdose prevention site in Victoria!
Many addiction doctors, wearing white coats and holding signs in front of a green, stand up supervised consumption tent, itself in front of North Island Hospital - Comox Valley.
Alright, there's a cool filter on this photo. Looks like someone decided to get artistic and so the colours are kind of washed out, but also blue-shifted so that the greens are really muted and the yellows stand out stronger, including on several of the signs, which are being held by supporters of our Hosptial OPS in Courtenay last week. A group of people stand in front of the North Island Hosptial - Comox Valley, flanking federal Green Party candidate Chris Makevich. Everyone looks cool AF. The supervised consumption tent is just behind them.
Local MP Gord Johns poses with supporters and volunteers at our Hospital-based OPS in Courtenay last week. He is smiling, as well he should be because Harm Reduction is a political act of love. Signs say things like "Safe Spaces Save Lives," "Dead People Don't Recover," and "OPS in Hospital Helps Keep Everyone Safe." In the background is a green stand-up tent with a banner that says "Overdose Prevention Site." The sky is a brilliant blue. Not a cloud in sight. It's freaking awesome.
Dr. Eva Hemmerich and her pooch, keeping it real in Courtenay.
An overdose prevention site staffed by physicians and other volunteers outside the Comox Valley Hospital. Doctors for Safer Drug Policy and Moms Stop the Harm banners are visible. It’s a beautiful day for fighting the drug war.
The cover of the book Heroin: An Illustrated History by Susan Boyd, depicting an early example of official packaging for the pharmaceutical, heroin.
"Image with a red and black split design. The left side features bold black text on a red background: 'In 2016, Health Minister Terry Lake showed leadership by recognizing the Public Health Emergency and using a Public Health Order to sanction Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS). These sites, previously unsanctioned, were saving lives every day. This order is still in effect today.' The right side displays a black-and-white photo of two uniformed police officers interacting with a person being detained in a parking lot at night."
An image depicting a popular meme format. The top panel shows a hand hovering indecisively over two red buttons, one labeled 'harm reduction' and the other 'more harm.' The bottom panel features a cartoon man sweating profusely, visibly stressed about the choice.
Pop up OPS: Coming soon to a city near you!
First, connect with us at tinyurl.com/DSDPToolkit
You asked, we answered. Let's make waves together.
A graph showing stable or declining rates of new opioid use disorder across all age groups in BC since 2017.
An AI generated description of our content.
A map of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital with the Doctors for Safer Drug Policy logo where the Overdose Prevention Site is set up across the street from Lot F on Boundary Avenue.
A map of the corner of Coronation Ave and Richmond Rd across from the Royal Jubilee Hospital with the Doctors for Safer Drug Policy logo where the Overdose Prevention Site is setup.