YOUTH AND THE OPIOID CRISIS: STRATEGIES FOR INTERVENTION AND THE BRITISH COLUMBIAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The opioid crisis is a growing public health concern in Canada, and especially in British Columbia, which has declared it a public health emergency. In response to the rising number of youth overdose deaths, BC has implemented a number of harm reduction and prevention strategies. Areas for continued improvement include naloxone kit training, encouraging users to not use alone and for bystanders to call 911 in the event of an overdose, and minimizing risk factors for addiction while maximizing protective factors. As the opioid crisis continues it spread east, other jurisdictions have much to learn from the BC experience.