Thread by @cgroundpolitics

What do Albertans think about substance use and addiction?

Led by @ehyshka, our latest Viewpoint Alberta research, outlines public opinion on this key policy issue. #ableg #covid19ab

drive.google.com/file/d/17ol0Aw…

Many Albertans have lived experience of substance use problems. A significant proportion of respondents (41%) reported that they or someone close to them had struggled with drugs or alcohol.

78% of Albertans felt that the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout would lead to more mental health and addiction problems and fatal overdoses here.

We asked survey respondents how the provincial government should address substance use and addiction...

...The most widely supported policy option was efforts to raise public awareness (76% agreed or strongly agreed);

Efforts to expand abstinence-only residential treatment, a major objective of the current government, were also supported (63%)...

......but not as strongly as medical care for substance use disorders including medications like Suboxone or methadone (70%).

There was general support for harm reduction programs that seek to reduce the risks of substance use (76%). But support was more varied depending on the type of service provided. 49% agreed and 41% disagreed with expanding supervised consumption services.

...While 61% of survey participants supported community distribution of naloxone (a medication that reverses an overdose), there was less overall support for supervised consumption services...

Support for expanding SCS is tied to urban/rural living and political affiliation.

Of note, when asked whether the province should implement ‘safer supply’ programs (that replace illegal street drugs with pharmaceutical alternatives for those unable to stop using) to combat overdose, 58% of respondents agreed.

As with supervised consumption services, support for safer supply programs was tied to urban/rural living and political affiliation. #ableg

Finally, Canada’s overdose epidemic has led to more debate and discussion on decriminalization of minor possession of illegal drugs...

In our survey, 45% of respondents agreed and 44% disagreed that the Alberta government should support efforts to decriminalize illegal drug possession for personal use. Political affiliation and level of education appear to influence this support. #ableg

For more information on our research into the politics of substance use and addiction in Alberta, and a host of other topics, visit: commongroundpolitics.ca/viewpoint-albe…

#ableg