Harm Reduction for Substance Use

On April 26, the Province announced steps to ensure employee and patient safety with regards to illicit drug use illegal in all public spaces, including inside hospitals. As such, Island Health will be enhancing education and awareness to better support staff in unsafe situations, consistently prohibiting drug possession, use, and purchasing in hospitals across B.C., and improving treatment and recovery support for patients with substance or opioid-use disorders.

Harm reduction services provide resources to help individuals who use unregulated substances to reduce their risk and prevent serious injury and/or death.

Stay safer if you use unregulated substances

• Get your drugs tested, confidentially and for free. Find a drug checking service near you.
• Learn how to recognize and respond to an overdose.
• Pick up free Take Home Naloxone Kits and harm reduction supplies:
  • Find a location: Toward the Heart site finder
  • Visit one of the Care and Connection Kiosks
• If using alone, download and use an app like Connect by Lifeguard, the Brave App, or call the National Overdose Response Service 1-888-688-NORS (6677).
• Use at an overdose prevention site.
• Consider using an Opioid Agonist Treatment.
• Sign up for toxic drug alerts:
  • Text JOIN to 253787 to subscribe.
  • Subscribers receive information about increases in toxic drug poisonings in their community.
  • Subscribers can text OD to 253787 to anonymously submit information about unregulated drug poisonings.

Find support for substance use

• Alcohol and Drug Information and Referral Service: 1-800-663-1441
• Kuu-us Aboriginal Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717
• Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1-888-494-3888 (or text: 250-800-3806)
• Find more mental health and substance use resources
• Check out the First Nations Health Authority webpage on Harm Reduction

*Overdose Prevention Services are allowed under special Ministerial Order (Ministerial Order M488) under the Emergency Services Act. Supervised Consumption Services are approved by Health Canada for exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.