Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA) Project

In May 2017, the Goverment of Canada introduced the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA). The act aims to ensure bystander response by providing legal protection for anyone who is at the scene of an overdose from simple possession (possesions for personal use) of an illegal substance.

The GSDOA evaluation project aims to assess the implementation of the GSDOA and evaluate its effectiveness at increasing bystander response in the event of an overdose by assessing knowledge, attitudes, experiences and intentions regarding the GSDOA in British Columbia.

For more information see:

• Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act Evaluation Project Overview
• A timeline for the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act 
• GSDOA Project Update (June 2020)
• GSDOA Poster (Print Ready)
• GSDOA Wallet Cards (Print Ready)

Concurrent Use and Transition to Methamphetamine among persons at risk of Overdose (CUT Meth OD)

There has been a big increase in the Methamphetamine (MA) use in British Columbia^1,2 .  Meth use has been associated with health problems^3,4,5 and some people who use Meth choose to use it with other drugs like opioids^6,7. However, there is limited literature identifying the reasons for MA use on its own or with other substances.

This study, funded by CIHR, will help us understand, (1) why MA use has increased; (2) reasons for MA use with other drugs; (3) perceptions about the benefits and harms of MA use.

The findings from this study will help fill the knowledge gap to better understand the factors associated with MA use, and help to develop effective harm reduction interventions.

For more information see:

• Project Overview (Infographic)

_References

_{1. BC Centre for Disease Control. 2018 BC Harm Reduction Client Survey [Internet]. Vancouver, BC: BC Centre for Disease Control; 2019 May.}

_{2. Davis A, Amlani A, Buxton JA. Substance use trends in BC: A survey of harm reduction clients. Overall results for British Columbia: 2015 [Internet]. Vancouver, BC: BC Centre for Disease Control; 2016.} 

<sub>3. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. Changes in Stimulant Use and Related Harms: Focus on Methamphetamine and Cocaine (CCENDU Bulletin) [Internet]. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction; 2019. 

4. McKetin R, Ross J, Kelly E, Baker A, Lee N, Lubman DI, et al. Characteristics and harms associated with injecting versus smoking methamphetamine among methamphetamine treatment entrants. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2008 May;27(3):277–85.</sub>

_{5. Stahlman S, Javanbakht M, Stirland A, Guerry S, Gorbach PM. Methamphetamine use among women attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in Los Angeles County. Sex Transm Dis. 2013 Aug;40(8):632–8.}

_{6. Al-Tayyib A, Koester S, Langegger S, Raville Heroin and Methamphetamine Injection: An Emerging Drug Use Pattern. Subst Use Misuse. 2017 03;52(8):1051–8.}

_{7. Ellis MS, Kasper ZA, Cicero TJ. Twin epidemics: The surging rise of methamphetamine use in chronic opioid users. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 01;193:14–20.}