Region of Waterloo Public Health surveying frequent and recreational drug users

Public health officials are hoping to better understand the needs of occasional or frequent drug users, though a new survey in the Region of Waterloo. 

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"We're finding we don't have a lot of current data on substance use and substance use trends in the region in particular," said Chris Harold, a manager with Region of Waterloo Public Health.

A similar survey was completed in 2007 and while public health has had regular conversations with police and service providers about the changes happening in the community when it comes to drug use, Harold said they need more definitive answers.

The results will help public health, and organizations which help drug users, to provide services that are needed here in the region.

"A lot of this work will provide some of the evidence that they need to move those services forward or in some cases advocate for funding because we have local evidence that this is a challenge," he said.

Regular and recreational users wanted

The survey is anonymous and IP addresses will not be collected for those who take the survey online.

People will be asked questions about gender, income and living situation. It will ask what kinds of drugs a person uses, how often they use it and the method used to consume the drugs.

It will also ask about when a person started using drugs, whether they've ever been in an overdose situation, as well as general health questions.

Public Health is looking to speak to people who are using illegal drugs, or misusing prescription drugs.

Social services that work with regular users of drugs on a daily basis will have paper copies of the survey with a self-addressed stamped envelope so people will be able to send in their answers if they do not have access to the internet.

Recreational users harder to reach

But Harold said it will be most difficult to reach those who use drugs recreationally, people who smoke pot after work in their home or do cocaine at a party on the weekend.

"We're looking for people who kind of cross the range of substance use and that would be the people who do it [recreationally] or casually in their home and aren't accessing services," Harold said.

More information about the survey can be found at drugsurvey.ca.