The AMS and UBC Student Health Services say they are taking various harm reduction measures to promote drug safety and access to testing supplies as students return to campus.
BC first declared a public health emergency due to the toxic drug crisis in 2016. In 2022, the number of lives lost between January and June was the highest ever in the first six months in a calendar year.
At UBC, efforts to educate students and provide them with testing materials have historically been led by the AMS and other student groups — although UBC Student Health Services and Student Housing and Community Services (SHCS) have testing resources as well.
In a statement to The Ubyssey, Levonne Abshire, director of UBC health, equity and promotion, said the university’s priorities for the coming year could be categorized into four areas: education, supplies, support and services.
On education, Abshire pointed students to the Substance Use Health and Harm Reduction webpage, the Wellness Centre’s Instagram and a harm reduction Canvas course. She added that harm reduction workshops from UBC are available upon request.
According to AMS VP Academic and University Affairs Dana Turdy, the AMS’s Peer Support service can provide education to different UBC clubs and student groups around naloxone training, and general safety around substance use.
Abshire said UBC plans to provide fentanyl testing strips at the Wellness Centre, Nurse on Campus and Peer Health Educator outreach booths. She also said nasal naloxone will be available in residences lobbies and commonsblocks next to defibrallator units.
The AMS also plans on providing drug testing and safety kits to students this year, Turdy said.
“The Sexual Assault Support Centre [SASC] is also a registered harm reduction site. They have fentanyl strips [and] they distribute naloxone kits ... they also have a needle disposal container at the SASC.”
Abshire wrote that in addition to holding weekly peer support meetings, the UBC Student Recovery Community also provides a harm reduction and recovery ally training to UBC faculty, staff and students.
Turdy said that the AMS is also working with various organizations regarding drug safety and testing, including SHCS on residence contracts which currently threaten disciplinary action against those found to be in possession of illicit substances.
Turdy also said the AMS plans to work with Get Your Drugs Tested, a free, private drug testing organization. Last year, the Social Justice Centre and AMS co-hosted a drug testing event with the organization.