https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow Dosage, Recovery, and User Guidelines for Safety en-us 2022-06-17 23:52:55 UTC 2022-06-21 22:21:30 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/1722997333/a47255a42e9ad9b802f8c8721cf4a091/handprint_logo__with_bkg_.png lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224337344 Some medications can have dangerous interactions with recreational substances. It can be hard to find information on these interactions, since many doctors will simply advise their patients to "avoid illegal drugs altogether." Below is a list of known interactions some of the most common illegal substances have with common medications; this list is taken from a research paper found here. ]]> 2022-06-18 00:18:19 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224337344 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224337822 Toward the Heart (https://towardtheheart.com/) provides information for substance users, healthcare professionals, and anyone looking to learn more about treating overdose and facilitating safe drug use. They also offer up-to-date warnings when toxic substances enter the public drug supply, and they have multiple clinics in East Vancouver which are dedicated to distributing supplies to facilitate safer drug use. You can find a clinic near you via their site finder: https://towardtheheart.com/site-finder]]> 2022-06-18 00:20:07 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224337822 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224699959 For a more medical approach to safe use practices, check out the BCCDC's list of resources: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-professionals/clinical-resources/harm-reduction. These resources cover the details of injection prep, safer smoking practices, and more top-down resources addressing overdose response procedures and achieving a safer supply for the Vancouver community.]]> 2022-06-18 21:52:21 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224699959 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224700796 At https://www.nativeyouthsexualhealth.com/indigenizing-harm-reduction, you can find resources created by and for Indigenous youth. These resources work to address the flawed framework of a colonial healthcare system, and create an alternative, holistic model of harm reduction. ]]> 2022-06-18 21:57:12 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224700796 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224701588 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f3550c11c1f590e92ad30eb/t/6109b2f9d66ea10365dd929f/1628025613807/You+Are+Made+of+Medicine_FINAL.pdf is a resource created by the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, designed to address the intersectional challenges, traumas, and strengths of Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ youth. It includes information about the factors that affect Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ youth in specific, often traumatic ways, as well as strategies you can use to protect your own emotional wellness, and resources to connect you with others in your community.]]> 2022-06-18 22:01:38 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224701588 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224704585 Vancouver Coastal Health provides a list of its relevant services here: http://www.vch.ca/your-care/mental-health-substance-use/community-mental-health-services. Conventional medicine can be intimidating, but it can also provide life-changing intervention and care. A few resources that may be useful are re-listed in this padlet, so you don't have to go sifting through the list all on your own!]]> 2022-06-18 22:16:24 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224704585 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224705665  Vancouver Coastal Health has a clinic at 2750 East Hastings Street dedicated to providing early intervention for symptoms of psychosis. They do not require a referral, and offer evaluation and effective treatment to individuals who suspect they may be experiencing psychosis - a treatable condition that is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and unpleasant, hard-to-control patterns of thinking that make it hard to understand "ordinary" concepts and information. You can learn more about the clinic here:  http://www.vch.ca/Locations-Services/result?res_id=814 ]]> 2022-06-18 22:22:13 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224705665 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224708609 Many clinics in the Vancouver area can provide effective care that accommodates individuals dealing with complex health concerns, including substance abuse, personality disorders, HIV and hepatitis, and other overlapping conditions that can make it harder for individuals to find medical services tailored to them. An assortment of clinical teams within Vancouver Coastal Health can be matched to your needs via the Access and Assessment Centre, which provides free evaluations for individuals who may be experiencing psychosis, mood disorders, substance abuse, and any combination of the above. Look here for more information: http://www.vch.ca/locations-services/result?res_id=1186]]> 2022-06-18 22:37:36 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224708609 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224711152 For individuals in crisis, https://crisiscentrechat.ca/ provides a text-based online service, active every day between noon and 1AM. It also includes a list of active phone numbers and resources aimed at adults (as well as a link to its sister site for youths), and can help you manage a crisis situation by providing expert information, advice, and support in the ways that work best for you.]]> 2022-06-18 22:50:14 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224711152 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224716964 Vancouver Coastal Health offers a variety of up-to-date clinical services here: http://www.vch.ca/your-care/mental-health-substance-use/substance-use-services. These clinics support individuals who are seeking to transition out of patterns of substance abuse, especially those experiencing opioid abuse. The majority of these services require no referral or qualifications; the clinics listed as "Addiction Medicine" and "Addiction Services" are particularly tailored to helping individuals access the medication and treatment they need to eliminate substance abuse from their lives. 

Note: Some of the other clinics in this list, which do not have titles like "Addiction Medicine," prioritize "detox" and offer primarily or exclusively withdrawal-based treatment; for example, "Onsite" and "Adult Withdrawal Management Services" are both clinics that take this approach. These techniques are now known to be, in general, more dangerous and less effective than multidisciplinary, medicine-based treatments that operate within a framework of harm reduction. Be sure you select a clinic that will best meet your needs; and, as always, don't be discouraged if a particular approach doesn't work for you!]]> 2022-06-18 23:17:43 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224716964 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224720508 https://www.fnha.ca/ is the website of the first Indigenous-run branch of the Canadian healthcare system. It provides extended health coverage to any individual with Indian status, and serves the Indigenous community of Vancouver and BC as a whole. Look here for more information on health and wellness in urban spaces: https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/health-system/urban-and-away-from-home-health-and-wellness ]]> 2022-06-18 23:39:24 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224720508 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224723504 The First Nations Health Authority provides a guide to accessing opioid replacement therapy here: https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/mental-wellness-and-substance-use/opioid-agonist-therapy]]> 2022-06-18 23:56:59 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224723504 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224724061 https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/mental-wellness-and-substance-use/non-medical-cannabis/safer-cannabis-use provides a guide to best practices when using cannabis, to ensure you're using it safely and getting the best results from your use. The FNHA also provides a holistic overview of the use of cannabis within an Indigenous framework: https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/mental-wellness-and-substance-use/non-medical-cannabis]]> 2022-06-19 00:00:47 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224724061 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224727998 Cocaine is known to interact with the following prescription medications in potentially dangerous ways:
- Antipsychotics: potentially fatal
- Antihistamines: potentially fatal
- Opioids: potentially fatal
- Certain heart/blood pressure medications (propranolol, lofexidine): increased risk of heart attacks
- Disulfiram: raises blood pressure and heart rate
- Isradipine: raises heart rate
Additionally, cocaine reduces the effectiveness of certain opioid agonists (methadone and buprenorphine) when combined.]]> 2022-06-19 00:25:14 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224727998 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224728960 Heroin is known to interact with the following prescription medications in potentially dangerous ways:
- Benadryl (diphenhydramine): potentially fatal
- Methadone: interaction causes strokes
Do not combine these medications. ]]> 2022-06-19 00:31:04 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224728960 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224736874 MDMA is known to interact with the following prescription medications in potentially dangerous ways:
-  Antidepressants: potentially fatal; see endnote 1 
- Antiretroviral medications: potentially fatal; see endnote 2
-  Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate): increased blood pressure & heart rate
- Buproprion: increased levels of both drugs in the bloodstream

Endnote 1: Antidepressants are known to interact with MDMA, but specific side effects vary. Moclobemide is known to have fatal interactions, while others (phenelzine) are known to elevate blood pressure and reduce mental clarity. Still others (paroxetine, reboxetine) have only been definitively observed to increase the levels of MDMA in the bloodstream. Regardless, due to the fact that MDMA and antidepressants operate by elevating the same variety of brain chemicals, exercise caution when combining them, as it can at the very least increase your risk of antidepressant "overdose" (e.g., MDMA + an SSRI may cause serotonin syndrome). 

Endnote 2: MDMA is known to interact with the variety of antiretroviral medications used to treat HIV/AIDS, but the range of consequences varies wildly. Some studies (observing ritonavir, taken alone) report fatal outcomes, while others (observing ritonavir taken in combination with saquinavir) only reported that the effects of MDMA were prolonged. It seems likely that these interactions boil down to the same mechanism: antiretroviral medications reduce your ability to metabolize MDMA. This can mean it takes longer to break down in your system (prolonging its effects), or - depending on individual dosage and metabolism - it can mean the toxic effects of MDMA are not effectively countered by the body's resilience, and end in death. Exercise caution when combining MDMA with antiretrovirals, and avoid doing so to the extent that you are able.]]> 2022-06-19 01:15:48 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224736874 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224740003 Methamphetamines are known to interact with the following prescription medications in potentially dangerous ways:
- Haloperidol (antipsychotic): induces Parkinsonism
- Ritonavir (antiretroviral): potentially fatal
Do not combine these medications.]]> 2022-06-19 01:30:01 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2224740003 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225144080 Below are a list of resources for friends and family, to help them understand how best to act as part of their loved ones' support networks. You can use these resources to better understand the people who lean on you, or you can pass them along to help the people you're leaning on better support you without hurting either you or themselves in the process. No one can survive alone, and these resources help communities grow stronger and healthier together!]]> 2022-06-20 00:02:33 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225144080 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225150256 https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/infosheet/supporting-people-who-use-substances-a-brief-guide-for-friends-and-family#path links to an extensive guide directed at members of a support network for any individual who uses substances. You can scroll through all the very helpful advice provided, but the specific section linked here ("A Supportive Path") is a great place to start, laying out the basics of what it means to be emotionally healthy and supportive in any kind of relationship.]]> 2022-06-20 00:14:07 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225150256 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225168607 The Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research has drafted a short guide outlining the importance of community for individual health and wellness. It addresses the alienation imposed on individuals by a profit-oriented society, and sets out some basic first steps we can take together to cultivate a safer, more relational community. Link: https://www.uvic.ca/research/centres/cisur/assets/docs/community-guide.pdf]]> 2022-06-20 00:38:51 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225168607 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225367063 https://vch.eduhealth.ca/PDFs/DB/DB.500.S34.pdf links to a brochure we also handed out during Session B1, "Drugs 101," this afternoon. This brochure details what to expect when using injected substances like heroin and crack/cocaine. It also provides details on how to safeguard your health while using, and what to do if you experience an adverse reaction or overdose.]]> 2022-06-20 04:38:44 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225367063 lindenf https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225370440 https://vch.eduhealth.ca/media/VCH/DB/DB.500.S341.pdf links to a brochure we also handed out this afternoon during session B1, "Drugs 101." It provides details on what to expect when smoking crack or crystal meth, as well as how best to safeguard your own health while smoking, and what to do if you experience adverse reactions or overdose.]]> 2022-06-20 04:42:56 UTC https://padlet.com/lindenf/DRUGS_whatyouneedtoknow/wish/2225370440