Grant: Operating Grant: Methamphetamine and related psychostimulant use

While illicit opioids and the current overdose crisis continue to claim thousands of Canadian lives, a new drug use epidemic is emerging. Use of methamphetamine has been rapidly increasing globally. Availability and use of methamphetamine has increased in Canada, particularly in British Columbia (BC) where self-reported methamphetamine use tripled among harm reduction site clients between 2012 and 2018, and the presence of methamphetamine among illicit drug-related deaths increased almost 10 times between 2012 and 2017. Methamphetamine use is associated with a range of health and social harms including serious mental health conditions such as psychosis, brain damage, heart disease, and increased risk of disease transmission through higher-risk sexual behaviour and unsafe injection practices. Many people who use drugs use both methamphetamine and opioids which can be particularly risky, increasing the chance of overdose death, and non-fatal overdose and its long-term consequences. The nature of the rise in methamphetamine use in Canada is poorly understood. Through this BC wide study, we seek to: 1) describe the characteristics of increased methamphetamine use; 2) explore factors related to use of methamphetamine, including how people use the drug and if by itself or in combination with other drugs; and 3) better understand the reasons for use of methamphetamine. We will also look at how these factors differ across the province. To answer our questions, we will interview about 60 people who use drugs from around BC. The focus will be on methamphetamine use and co-use with other drugs such as opioids. An annual survey administered to about 1000 people at harm reduction sites across BC will ask about recent substances used including route and order of use; reported substances used will be confirmed by urine testing. Understanding factors that drive increasing methamphetamine use and its use with other drugs are essential to guide effective harm reduction efforts.