Supporting the full participation of people who use drugs in policy fora: Provision of a temporary, conference-based overdose prevention site

The overdose epidemic in North America remains acute and has contributed to declining life expectancy in both the United States and Canada. Immediate interventions are needed to mitigate drug-use related harms and prevent death. Effectively attenuating these risks requires the involvement of people who use/d drugs (PWUD) in policy making since they hold essential first-hand knowledge. Conferences are vital fora for hearing the perspectives of PWUD, however, little guidance exists on how to best ensure the safety of PWUD during conferences.

In October 2018, a low-threshold temporary overdose prevention site (OPS) was implemented at Stimulus: Drugs, Policy, and Practice – 2018, a national drug policy and harm reduction conference held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The OPS provided delegates with a monitored space within the conference facility to consume drugs and access sterile drug consumption supplies. A total of 17 conference attendees from across Canada used the OPS; drugs were consumed in 26 visits. There were no overdose events.

Our commentary describes the implementation of the OPS with the aim of providing practical guidance for organizers of future substance use-related conferences, meetings, and other events. However, more research is needed to facilitate the full, equitable, and safe participation and attendance of PWUD at substance-use related conferences.

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Authors: Hannah L Brooks, Cassandra Husband, Marliss Taylor, Arthur Sherren, Elaine Hyshka

Funding Support: The conference-based OPS was funded by Alberta Health.

Status: Complete