Substance use health and harm reduction
Overview
Many substances can alter someone’s mental, emotional, or physical state; these include but are not limited to, alcohol, cannabis, nicotine (found in tobacco and some vaping products), and caffeine.
All substance use carries some risk, making it important to consider its short-term and long-term effects on your wellbeing as a student. When using substances that are not regulated, you will not know the exact contents without drug checking (testing).
Not using substances altogether has the lowest risk. However, if you are using drugs, you can make a plan to reduce possible harms.
Harm reduction for fentanyl and accidental drug poisoning
Many drugs in our province are not what people are hoping to purchase. For example, samples of cocaine, down, and even pressed pills like MDMA have been found to contain fentanyl or benzodiazepines.
Fentanyl, an opioid, is a strong painkiller that is being mixed into the unregulated drug supply in British Columbia. A very small amount of fentanyl can be fatal. Fentanyl has been found in all unregulated drugs. Benzodiazepines are also increasingly mixed into the drug supply. You can learn more about fentanyl and about benzodiazepines on the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health website.
If you use or intend to use drugs, consider the following:
- Try not to use alone, take turns
- Start with a low dose and go slow
- Make a plan to reduce potential harms
- Get drug testing strips and/or have your drugs checked
- Know how to recognize and respond to the signs of accidental drug poisoning (pdf)
- Pick up and carry naloxone and other harm-reduction supplies in case of accidental drug poisoning*
*Drop by Picnic or the Residence Wellness Hub during the Harm Reduction team drop-in hours to learn more and get trained in naloxone.
Fentanyl test strips
Test strips for drug checking can look for fentanyl in a small amount of a substance mixed in water. Check drugs every time you use. Fentanyl can be unevenly distributed meaning that one sample could be negative and the next sample could be positive.
You can learn more about using fentanyl test strips by chatting with our Harm Reduction Peers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 am to 12:30 pm in UNC 337.
Drug checking (testing)
Drug checking (testing) provides life-saving information about the harmful and even deadly contaminants that drugs may contain, including fentanyl. It allows an individual to make informed decisions about using a substance because it informs individuals of the exact drug contents. Find drug-checking services in British Columbia, including safer consumption sites and drug alerts.
Drug checking in Kelowna is currently available Tuesday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Outreach Urban Health (1649 Pandosy St.). The team can be reached at 250-864-1431 or by email at drugchecking@interiorhealth.ca.
Responding to accidental drug poisoning
It is critical that you call 9-1-1 immediately if you suspect someone has experienced an overdose. It is important to understand that if you, or someone you are with, needs emergency services to respond to accidental drug poisoning, you are protected by the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act even if you have any substances on you.
Overdose response
Knowing how to respond to an overdose, even if you don’t think you’ll need to, makes the residence community safer for everyone. If someone is experiencing a known or suspected overdose, there’s no time to waste.
Know the signs of an overdose:
- Not moving / unresponsive
- Slow or no breathing
- Choking or snoring sounds
- Tiny pupils
- Blue or grey lips and fingernails
- Cold and clammy skin
Overdose response:
- Immediately call 911
- Give naloxone.
- Call Campus Security: 250 807 8111 (emergency line)
Follow the SAVE ME steps to improve the chances of recovery for your friends:
S – Stimulate: Speak to them, squeeze their fingertips or the muscle between their neck and shoulder.
NOTE: IF they are not responsive, call 9-1-1 and campus security 250-807-8111.
A – Airway: Check if they are breathing normally, check for a pulse, and remove anything in their mouth.
V – Ventilate: Lift chin and tilt head back. Give 1 breath every 5 seconds.
E – Evaluate: Check breathing, responsiveness, and pulse again
M – Medicate: Give Naloxone if they are not breathing normally (inject 1 ampoule (0.4mg) into arm or thigh muscle OR give 1 intranasal spray (4mg) in one nostril.
E – Evaluate and support: Keep giving breaths, continuously monitor breathing, and give additional doses of Naloxone at three-minute intervals.
Learn more about UBC Okanagan’s approach to reducing deaths from opioids.
Naloxone kits
Naloxone is a medication that reverses accidental drug poisoning from fentanyl and other opioids. Several UBC Okanagan locations offer free naloxone kits or access to use naloxone in the event of drug poisoning. Drop by Picnic or the Residence Wellness Hub to receive training and your free kits. UBC Okanagan also has emergency kits placed with AEDs around campus in 17 locations.
Kits are free and anonymous for people who could experience accidental drug poisoning from the toxic drug supply in British Columbia, or those who might witness someone experiencing drug poisoning.
The intentional use of substances to facilitate sexual assault
Using drugs, including alcohol, to deliberately create a situation in which a person is incapacitated (and therefore cannot give consent) to pursue sexual contact or attention is substance-facilitated sexual assault.
Connect with our Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Office to find out what to do if you think someone may have done this to you, help others who may have experienced or could experience this, or if you think you or someone you know may have caused someone harm.
When to seek help
If you are curious about seeking help, consider the following questions:
- How do you feel about the amount you drink and/or use, the amount of time you spend drinking and/or using, and the frequency in which you drink and/or use?
- Has anyone raised concerns about your drinking and/or substance use?
- Has alcohol and/or other drug use been affecting your grades, learning, or finances?
- Has alcohol and/or other drug use affected your ability to attend classes or labs, complete coursework, or participate in group meetings
- Has alcohol and/or other drug use affected your relationships or responsibilities with friends, family, or partner(s)?
- Do you feel guilty about your drinking and/or substance use?
- Have you tried and been unsuccessful in cutting down on your use of alcohol and/or other drugs?
- Do you find yourself drinking alcohol and/or using substances at inappropriate times
- Do you drink and/or use substances in secret?
- Does your drinking and/or substance use ever scare you?
- Do you wish to change your relationship with alcohol and/or other substances?
If you wish to continue reflecting on your relationship with substances, you can find support options and more resources below.
Apps and interactive resources
The following websites and apps have been carefully chosen by health professionals at UBC. They’re easy and accessible tools you can use at any time, to help you learn more about substance use.
Call 8-1-1 at any time during the day to get information on substance use and support.
Download a workbook to help you reflect on your substance use.
Get more information about opioid drug poisoning, naloxone, and other harm-reduction strategies. You can also find out where to pick up a naloxone kit across BC.
Find alcohol and substance use self-check tools and learn about different types of substances.
Sign up with your UBC student email for tools to help you reflect on your substance use.
Professional help
If you think a health or mental health professional could help, here are some services available to you:
On-campus
Student Counselling (general Counselling services)
Student Health Clinic (referral to treatment services etc.
Walk-in Wellbeing Clinic (Tuesday and Thursday from 10 to 3 pm)
Problematic Substance Use Clinic
Harm Reduction Team at Picnic (Naloxone training, access to resources, fentanyl test strips)
Recovery Conversations (Drop-ins at the Nechako Gathering Room)
Off-campus
Interior Health offers many programs and services in Kelowna.
24/7 services
Same-day care for opioid addiction
Opioid Treatment Access Line: The Opioid Treatment Access Line makes it faster and easier to access life-saving medication that prevents withdrawal symptoms and reduces the risk of overdose, and to get connected to support that same day.
- 1-833-804-8111 | Open every day from 9 am to 4 pm across BC.
Call, chat online, or use the mobile app to get free, immediate, 24/7 mental health counselling, available in various languages for post-secondary students in British Columbia. UBC students can reach out as often as needed, anytime, from anywhere in the world.
9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline
A safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Call or text 9-8-8.