1/6: Talking to PWUD and prescribers over the past few weeks I've learned there's a huge disconnect between #safesupply and what we can call pandemic prescribing
(a thread)
(a thread)
2/6: Pandemic prescribing is providing pharmaceutical alternatives to street drugs to help reduce #overdose risk and let people isolate during #COVID. It's a life saving approach now, but it's not the long-term solution to the overdose crisis, #Safesupply is.
3/6: Offering drug users the least sought-after drugs through pandemic prescribing is playing it as safe as possible, it's the equivalent of providing an alcoholic with light beer when what they've been consuming is 40 proof liquor. It's not #Safesupply
4/6: Prescribers are uncomfortable with prescribing in part because of the lack of evidence that this is an approach to keep people safe. But for PWUD, the evidence is clear. The evidence is in the #overdoses that kill people everyday because of the toxic drug supply.
5/6: Pandemic prescribing does not address the structural barriers that also contribute to the overdose crisis, such as criminalization, homelessness and prohibition.
6/6: Safesupply means access to real alternatives to the toxic drug supply. And until we have a domestic supply of diacetylmorphine (aka heroin) safe supply will never be possible. Let's make it happen @GovCanHealth
