{"title":"Safer supply programs: Discussions on medication diversion, sharing, and selling","authors":"Marlene Haines , Emily Hill , Patrick O'Byrne","doi":"10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104731","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Nearly 50,000 people who use drugs have died as a result of the ongoing drug poisoning crisis in Canada. To directly address concerns surrounding this crisis, safer supply pilot programs were implemented in several communities across the country. Since program implementation, discussions surrounding medication diversion have proliferated. We conducted surveys and interviews with current program participants to better understand medication diversion within the context of safer supply programs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Safer supply program participants were recruited in Ottawa, Canada to complete semi-structured interviews and surveys. Surveys collected socio-demographic and substance use data. Survey results were reported using descriptive statistics. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>30 people participated in this study. From interviews, seven themes arose on the topic of diversion, including 1) diversion in the context of being a person who uses drugs, 2) safety, 3) compassion, 4) meeting needs, 5) survival, 6) coercion, and 7) protecting youth.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Discussions with participants highlighted the importance of understanding why medication diversion occurs. Important factors influencing medication diversion included the need for safety, compassion, meeting needs, survival, and coercion faced by people who use drugs. Ultimately, medication diversion can be best understood as a measure implemented by people who use drugs to protect and care for their underserved community.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48364,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Drug Policy","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 104731"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Drug Policy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925000301","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/2/5 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SUBSTANCE ABUSE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Nearly 50,000 people who use drugs have died as a result of the ongoing drug poisoning crisis in Canada. To directly address concerns surrounding this crisis, safer supply pilot programs were implemented in several communities across the country. Since program implementation, discussions surrounding medication diversion have proliferated. We conducted surveys and interviews with current program participants to better understand medication diversion within the context of safer supply programs.
Methods
Safer supply program participants were recruited in Ottawa, Canada to complete semi-structured interviews and surveys. Surveys collected socio-demographic and substance use data. Survey results were reported using descriptive statistics. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically.
Results
30 people participated in this study. From interviews, seven themes arose on the topic of diversion, including 1) diversion in the context of being a person who uses drugs, 2) safety, 3) compassion, 4) meeting needs, 5) survival, 6) coercion, and 7) protecting youth.
Conclusion
Discussions with participants highlighted the importance of understanding why medication diversion occurs. Important factors influencing medication diversion included the need for safety, compassion, meeting needs, survival, and coercion faced by people who use drugs. Ultimately, medication diversion can be best understood as a measure implemented by people who use drugs to protect and care for their underserved community.
期刊介绍：
The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.
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