Grant: Operating Grant: Programmatic Grants to tackle health and health equity - LOI

Drug addiction contributes to a range of health related harms, such as HIV infection. However, serious health equity issues facing vulnerable and marginalized populations (e.g. women, sex workers, Aboriginal persons, and the homeless) are most seriously and negatively affected by traditional "war on drugs" type responses. While massive public resources are allocated towards law enforcement responses, scientific data on the impacts of these policies is often absent from the decision making process. This is evidenced by the fact that the federal government is currently planning mandatory minimum sentences for drug law violations, despite the fact these programs have proven to be a costly failure in the US. The purpose of this research project is to convene an international network of leading scientific experts in the field of illicit drugs to conduct conceptually linked original research on the health and social impacts of conventional and emerging illicit drug policies. Through systematic reviews and original research collaborations this team will produce research that reflects a scientific consensus on current illicit drug policy issues. The group will also conduct extensive consultations with policymakers and other stakeholders in order to ensure a stepwise process of knowledge translation. Specifically, the dissemination of these research findings through media and educational activities, peer-reviewed publication, and exchange with leading stakeholders and policymakers will aid in the development of evidence-based illicit drug policies at the local, national and international levels. By doing so, this group will establish both a standard of best practices for illicit drug policy based on scientific research and create and evaluate tools for knowledge translation. This, in turn, will help address one of the largest drivers of health equity issues facing vulnerable populations in Canadian society.