Drug situation in Vancouver /

Summary growing of the AIDS and the University of British importance of Columbia’s Division of AIDS have pre- developing health policy and practice pared a second report on the scope based on the best available scientific and extent of Vancouver’s drug prob- evidence. [...] Relative to populations Harm Reduction: The dramatic decline of older PWUD in Vancouver, the daily in syringe sharing among PWUD in drug use patterns of street-involved Vancouver can be largely attributed to youth in Vancouver between 2005 the expansion of harm reduction pro- and 2011 indicate a high prevalence of grams in the city, with 39.6% of PWUD crystal methamphetamine use, through reporting [...] With the implementation of all of these data sources and allow for the city’s Four Pillars Drug Strategy41 a comprehensive analysis of the illicit and the federal government’s National drug situation in Vancouver. [...] The facilitate the examination of the natural VIDUS study documented an explosive 9 Urban Health Research Initiative HIV outbreak in the Downtown Eastside generating data to inform the delivery of in 1997, which led to the declaration of HIV treatment services, a central object- a public health emergency. [...] The change Over the last 15 years, our findings in the uptake of MMT and the simul- revealed no significant improvements in taneous reduction of PWUD reporting the overall prevalence of unstable hous- difficulty accessing treatment programs ing among people who use illicit drugs likely reflects the investment in drug (PWUD) in Vancouver, with prevalence and alcohol treatment services made by conti