Understanding and Responding to the Opioid Crisis in Calgary
The Canadian opioid crisis continues to devastate countless lives across the country, causing a dramatic increase in overdose deaths and other opioid-related harms. Specifically in the city of Calgary, the opioid crisis has escalated. A crisis of such magnitude demands an urgent, comprehensive, and evidence-based response. The answer to alleviating this escalating public health emergency in the region lies in research.
A Glimpse at the Opioid Crisis
The opioid crisis represents a complex public health issue affecting multiple sectors, including health, social services, and law enforcement. Opioids, a class of drugs that includes both illegal substances such as heroin, and prescribed drugs such as OxyContin and morphine, are highly addictive. Misuse can result in severe health effects, including death from an overdose.
According to the University of Calgary, the opioid crisis’s impacts range from addiction and death to an increased number of children in foster care due to parental substance misuse. Additionally, the crisis correlates with a rise in crime and homelessness, further destabilizing communities and exacerbating social inequalities.
The Current Situation in Calgary
In Calgary, the crisis is intensifying. The latest data shows that opioid overdose deaths have been on a steady rise, with a disturbing uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further downstream impacts include an increase in the number of drug-related crimes and a growing population of homeless individuals grappling with substance use disorders.
Combatting the Opioid Crisis: A New Approach
In response to Calgary’s opioid crisis, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has allocated a seemingly extraordinary amount of $4 million to the University of Calgary’s Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education. This move is a part of the federal government’s judiciary action, known as the Canadian opioid abatement class action, aimed at holding opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for their role in the crisis.
Key Points of the University of Calgary’s Efforts
- The research project will be led by Dr. Rebecca Haines-Saah, a health sociologist specializing in the social dimensions of health and substance use.
- The funds from CIHR will support the development and promotion of an innovative opioid crisis response strategy based on participatory systems modelling.
- This strategy involves gathering input from key stakeholders, including people with lived experiences of substance use, families impacted by the crisis, service providers, policy-makers, and researchers.
- By involving individuals affected by the opioid crisis directly and treating them as key decision-makers, this research seeks to break down barriers and stigmas associated to substance use.
- Naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids, will play a vital role in this strategy, along with other harm reduction measures such as safe injection sites and peer support.
Way Ahead
This new initiative by the University of Calgary is a hopeful step towards alleviating the increasing devastation caused by the opioid crisis in Calgary. The strategy emphasizes empathy, understanding, and inclusivity, respecting the dignity of those most severely impacted by the crisis. Furthermore, the focus on evidence-based harm reduction measures, such as naloxone, provides immediate, life-saving assistance while long-term solutions are strategically developed and implemented.
Given the devastating scope and depth of the opioid crisis, the way forward will entail the collective work of various stakeholders. It will require a robust, evidence-based, and multidimensional strategy to address the various facets of this complex public health challenge.
A comprehensive response to the opioid crisis certainly goes beyond the scope of the University of Calgary’s research project. Still, this initiative provides a critical step towards acknowledging the crisis’s complexity, focusing on harm reduction, and involving those directly impacted in devising potential solutions. It truly showcases a pioneering approach in addressing this multisectoral issue.
Final Thoughts
The road to combatting the opioid crisis in Calgary and beyond will indeed be a challenging one. Yet, with evidence-based research, a clear understanding of the crisis’s complexity, and a multidimensional approach that centres on people, we can begin to curtail the devastating impact of opioids on our communities and foster a safer, healthier society. The announcement of the University of Calgary’s $4 million initiative is indeed a hopeful stride in the right direction, one that carries immense potential in addressing the critical aspects of Calgary’s opioid crisis.
