Dr. Lori Regenstreif, a Hamilton-based addiction physician, explains why Canada's "safer supply" programs are being abused and flooding communities with dangerous opioids.
This is an important and powerful interview. Dr Regenstreif is a front line clinician who describes how hydromorphone tablets sold by Safe Supply patients are putting vulnerable people - youth, those in recovery - at risk for harm. Dr Regenstreif also discusses some of the serious problems with opioid agonist treatment, ie community methadone clinics that make patients attend the clinic several times a week just to provide urine drug screens.
I came to this podcast with the interest of listening to an objective perspective on the debate around safer supply. Unfortunately, your opening statement stopped me from engaging with this interview:
"safer supply refers to the practice of prescribing free recreational drugs as an alternative to potentially tainted street substances."
The current safe supply program does not refer to perscribing drugs for recreational use. Safe supply is a treatment option for individuals with a substance use disorder. It is for individuals who's lives are at risk from toxic substances. It is for bodies that have become physically reliant on toxic substances.
Using the term "recreational use" is inflammatory and misleading. It is just what is wrong with media outlets such as this, and journalism all-together.
This is an important and powerful interview. Dr Regenstreif is a front line clinician who describes how hydromorphone tablets sold by Safe Supply patients are putting vulnerable people - youth, those in recovery - at risk for harm. Dr Regenstreif also discusses some of the serious problems with opioid agonist treatment, ie community methadone clinics that make patients attend the clinic several times a week just to provide urine drug screens.
Meldon Kahan MD, Toronto
Dear Adam,
I came to this podcast with the interest of listening to an objective perspective on the debate around safer supply. Unfortunately, your opening statement stopped me from engaging with this interview:
"safer supply refers to the practice of prescribing free recreational drugs as an alternative to potentially tainted street substances."
The current safe supply program does not refer to perscribing drugs for recreational use. Safe supply is a treatment option for individuals with a substance use disorder. It is for individuals who's lives are at risk from toxic substances. It is for bodies that have become physically reliant on toxic substances.
Using the term "recreational use" is inflammatory and misleading. It is just what is wrong with media outlets such as this, and journalism all-together.