ArticleSubstance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy2023
Smoking identified as preferred mode of opioid safe supply use; investigating correlates of smoking preference through a 2021 cross-sectional study in British Columbia.
Article in Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed.
- Effects of opioids and stimulants on the respiratory system.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026Review
- Access to health and harm reduction services during drug decriminalization in British Columbia, Canada: a mixed-method study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Fentanyl use among people who inject drugs in two large Pacific Northwest metropolitan areas.Harm reduction journal · 2026Article
- Integration of safer smoking equipment in U.S. syringe services programs: Qualitative insights from program staff.The International journal on drug policy · 2026Article
- Promises and pitfalls of safer smoking supply distribution in the United States: a thematic analysis of open-ended survey questions from harm reduction organizations.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Responding to an evolving crisis: Meeting the needs of a growing population who smoke their unregulated substances.Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique · 2025Article
- "We've lost a lot of lives:" the impact of the closure of North America's busiest supervised consumption site on people who use substances and the organizations that work with them.Harm reduction journal · 2025Article
- Preferred pharmaceutical-grade opioids to reduce the use of unregulated opioids: A cross-sectional analysis among people who use unregulated opioids in Vancouver, Canada.The International journal on drug policy · 2024Article
- A qualitative evaluation of a fentanyl patch safer supply program in Vancouver, Canada.The International journal on drug policy · 2024Article
- Syringe services program staff and participant perspectives on changing drug consumption behaviors in response to xylazine adulteration.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Protective or potentially harmful? Altering drug consumption behaviors in response to xylazine adulteration.Research square · 2024Article
- Perspectives of key interest groups regarding supervised Consumption sites (SCS) and novel virtual harm reduction services / overdose response hotlines and applications: a qualitative Canadian study.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- "If it wasn't for them, I don't think I would be here": experiences of the first year of a safer supply program during the dual public health emergencies of COVID-19 and the drug toxicity crisis.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Changes in injecting versus smoking heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine among people who inject drugs in San Diego, California, 2020-2023.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2024Article
- Physiologic oxygen responses to smoking opioids: an observational study using continuous pulse oximetry at overdose prevention services in British Columbia, Canada.Harm reduction journal · 2024Observational
- A qualitative study on perceptions and experiences of overdose among people who smoke drugs in Vancouver, British Columbia.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2024Article
- Feeling safer: effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of continuous pulse oximetry for people who smoke opioids at overdose prevention services in British Columbia, Canada.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Factors associated with obtaining prescribed safer supply among people accessing harm reduction services: findings from a cross-sectional survey.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Article
- "Safer Drug Supply" Measures in Canada to Reduce the Drug Overdose Fatality Toll: Clarifying Concepts, Practices and Evidence Within a Public Health Intervention Framework.Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe increasing number of illicit drug toxicity deaths in British Columbia (BC) has led to calls for a regulated (pharmaceutical grade) supply of substances ("safe supply"). In order to inform safe supply recommendations, we aimed to identify why people currently smoke opioids and assess the preferred mode of consumption if people who use opioids were provided with opioid safe supply.
methodsThe BC Harm Reduction Client Survey (HRCS) is an annual survey that gathers information about people who use drugs' (PWUD) substance use characteristic with the goal of contributing to evidence-based policy. This study utilized data from the 2021 HRCS. The outcome variable was "prefer smoking opioid safe supply" ('yes/no'). Explanatory variables included participants' demographics, drug use, and overdose characteristics. Bivariate and hierarchical multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with the outcome.
resultsOf 282 total participants who indicated a preference for a mode of consumption for opioid safe supply, 62.4% preferred a smokable option and 19.9% preferred to inject if provided with opioid safe supply. Variables significantly associated with the outcome (preferred smoking) included: being 19-29 years old (AOR=5.95, CI =1.93 - 18.31) compared to >50 years old, having witnessed an overdose in the last 6 months (AOR=2.26, CI=1.20 - 4.28), having smoked opioids in the last 3 days (AOR=6.35, CI=2.98 - 13.53) and having a preference to smoke stimulants safe supply (AOR=5.04, CI=2.53 - 10.07).
conclusionWe found that over half of participants prefer smokable options when accessing opioid safe supply. Currently in BC, there are limited smokable opioid safe supply options as alternatives to the toxic street supply. To reduce overdose deaths, safe supply options should be expanded to accommodate PWUD that prefer smoking opioids.
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