CCENDU Issue 7 (Part 2): Stimulant Use and Related Harms in Canada — Drivers and Adaptive Responses

This issue is the second of a special two-part series. Part 2 examines key factors driving stimulant use, what these trends mean for different groups of people and the responses being implemented to reduce harms.

Three key points of interest you will find in this document:

1. Across all participating regions, the most reported drivers of stimulant use were accessibility, affordability and higher purity of methamphetamine at the retail level.
2. Patterns of polysubstance use involving stimulants and opioids continue to evolve. Education on the risk of opioid overdose among people who use stimulants is essential, to ensure appropriate responses.
3. Access to local drug supply information, and harm reduction and treatment services is critical to reducing stimulant-related harms.