First distributed in the 1960s as an intravenous anesthetic, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin. As one of the world’s most frequently used opioid analgesics, fentanyl’s high potency poses a severe risk of overdose, particularly when consumed unknowingly through dealer lacing. With a mere[Read More…]
Tag: Harm Reduction
When it comes to drugs, McGill is still stuck in the past
According to a 2020 Prison Policy Initiative study on mass incarceration, one in five incarcerated Americans are in prison because of a drug-related charge. In the U.S., there are approximately one million drug-related arrests each year, and six times as many arrests for drug possession as there are for drug[Read More…]
McGill should reduce harm, not safety
University is a time of experimentation, exploration, and self-discovery. For some students, this includes experimenting with drugs. However, users rarely have access to comprehensive education regarding safe drug use—a necessary component of a harm reduction approach. For many first-year students, their only “harm reduction” measure is an informal tradition: Floor[Read More…]
‘Making Drugs More Accurate’ offers free drug checking kits
On Aug. 24, Making Drugs More Accurate (MDMA), a non-profit organization piloted by the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP) chapter at McGill, launched their free drug-checking and harm reduction service for McGill students. In a 2019 survey conducted by CSSDP McGill, 86 per cent of students demonstrated interest[Read More…]
SSMU Legislative Council postpones vote on harm reduction policy
The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) convened on March 25 to vote on the Motion Regarding the Adoption of the Harm Reduction Policy and to receive notice of a motion regarding the BACoN-AToR Plan that touches on renaming the University Centre. Other notices included amendments to governance internal regulations,[Read More…]
Legislative Council approves policy against harmful military research
The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Legislative Council held its biweekly meeting on March 11, where members approved a motion to implement a policy on harmful military technology and introduced a new motion seeking to adopt an official harm reduction policy for substance use on campus. The policy regarding[Read More…]
Harm reduction in residences can save lives
For many students, experimenting with recreational drugs is part of the university experience, and a subculture of illicit drug use exists at McGill. To mitigate harmful consequences such as addiction and overdose, floor fellows in first-year residences have historically been trained to practice a harm reduction approach to drug use,[Read More…]
CSSDP to provide free drug-testing kits to students
Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP) is currently applying for funding to launch a pilot project that will provide free drug-testing kits to McGill students. At the moment, the McGill-based student group is collecting data through a survey that they released to the student body on Oct. 31. The[Read More…]
Harm Reduction 101 workshop discusses models and strategies for building stronger communities
The Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit Harm Reduction Coalition (IW2SHRC) hosted a two-hour workshop on Sunday, Nov. 16 as part of the Mental Health Awareness Week. Titled “Harm Reduction 101”, the interactive workshop discussed essential harm reduction practices, especially regarding drug use and HIV/AIDS among the indigenous community. Lindsay Nixon, U3[Read More…]
