A recent ODPRN study analyzing provincial harm reduction supply distribution revealed that public health units with the highest rates of opioid-related mortality also had among the highest distribution levels of harm reduction supplies.

odprn.ca/research/pub...

Interesting paper capturing perspectives on cannabis harm reduction from youth, parents, and service providers. Introduction has a useful summary of post-legalization use numbers and trends:

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

🎮 PhD student Yuzhe You is using gaming to make AI more understandable and accessible for non-technical users! She even received $145K from various scholarships and research funds to support her vision

📲Read more here: uwaterloo.ca/computer-sci...

New report from CCSA about online gambling in young Canadians, now almost 25% of 18-29 year olds, with online gambling platforms leading to the most harms:

www.ccsa.ca/en/online-ga...

A study from Alberta suggesting that distributing 10,000 naloxone kits reduces opioid mortality by 23%. These are challenging studies to conduct but are crucial for establishing an evidence base for community naloxone distribution:

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

"Without proper planning" and "without a needs assessment" - that is the determination of the Ontario Auditor General on the creation of Ontario HART Hubs. Our tax dollars and human lives in play.

New nitazene identified by @cantestcbr.bsky.social Isotocyanozene (5-cyanoisotonitazene). Harm reduction and early warning all wrapped into one.

Ontario expands pharmacists’ scope and plans broader roles for optometrists, psychologists, physiotherapists & more. These changes aim to boost access, cut wait times & ease pressure on ERs and family doctors. #ONhealth #Pharmacy

news.ontario.ca/en/release/1...

Many provinces saw decreases on opioid-related deaths in 2024 compared to 2025, but not all (QE, NL, NWT). The decrease were most pronounced in the West (BC, AB, YT): www.cbc.ca/news/health/...

GLP-1 agonists (e.g. Ozempic) have appear to have an interesting secondary effect on substance use. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction has a great summary of the latest data: www.ccsa.ca/en/glp-1s-su...

Update from Toronto's Drug Checking Service shows carfentanil was found in 14% (18) of the fentanyl samples collected in Toronto - the most they have seen in a month to date.

View the data at: drugchecking.community

View their post at: www.instagram.com/p/DOJTpmWDq4J

Amazing story!
uwaterloo.ca/pharmacy/new...

The ODPRN is now accepting applications for our 2026 Drug Policy Student Training Program! Free access to online training and incredible networking opportunities with expert leaders in the field of drug policy.

To learn more and apply, visit: odprn.ca/about-the-od...

Interesting news story about a new study focused on opioid use disorder and access to OAT in Northern Ontario: www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ont...

The Toronto Drug Checking Service provides reports every two weeks - you can sign up for email alerts too: drugchecking.community/reports/

The Opioid and Opioid Use Disorder resources was an interdisciplinary Canadian collaboration to create an opioid educational resource for social work, nursing, and pharmacy students, but it is quite accessible to other health care practitioners, service providers, and the public!

Fentanyl and all the fentanyl analogues can be confusing. Working with Sanguen several School of Pharmacy and other volunteers put together a series of 1-pagers about fentanyl analogues:

Individuals experiencing opioid-induced respiratory depression, AKA, opioid overdose, present with consistent symptoms: unresponsive, cold, clammy skin, little or no breathing, blue lips, nails, etc. However given the current unregulated opioid supply, additional or unusual symptoms may present:

Recent blog post about the current state of the unregulated opioid supply in Ontario/Canada: