Stigma a barrier to treatment for people who use drugs, says Medical Officer of Health

Sudbury is not immune to the opioid crisis, but the city is well-prepared to respond.

That was the message delivered in a presentation to Sudbury city council Tuesday night, by the co-chairs of Sudbury's Community Drug Strategy, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe and police chief Paul Pedersen.

Sutcliffe is also the Medical Officer of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

She told council that 32 people died from opioid-related overdoses in Sudbury and Manitoulin in 2018. In the first six months of 2019, there were 28 deaths.

Sutcliffe went on to say that the opioid crisis has affected individuals, families and communities in every part of the country. 

"Our assumptions about the people who are affected by opioid use are often wrong," she said.

"Drug use, substance use, does not discriminate. Any one of us can be impacted."

According to Sutcliffe, one of the best ways to help address the drug situation is to focus on the critical issue of stigma.

Open conversations encouraged

"Stigma is a barrier to accessing services, health care and treatment for people who use drugs," Sutcliffe said.

"It can also contribute to delayed recovery, poor mental health outcomes, feelings of social isolation, guilt, shame, and  lead to continued use of substances," she added.

She encouraged all community members to talk more openly about substance use. 

Sutcliffe described the opioid crisis as a complex problem that will take many partners and many years to solve.

With the municipality's help, the Community Drug Strategy has come up with a three-pronged approach that focuses on youth (a youth wellness hub), safer consumption and how to effectively address it in the community, and potentially expanded roles for paramedicine.

The Sudbury community is still conducting a feasibility study to determine the need for supervised harm reduction consumption services.

Greater Sudbury police chief Paul Pedersen explained how the Community Drug Strategy is founded on the four pillars of health promotion, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement and justice.

 "The four pillars are something we work hard on and focus on," Pedersen said.

"We also spend a lot of time doing proactive work with community partners," he added.

Sutcliffe had a key message for the public.

"No matter what you do, no matter how you can do that, get involved — formally or informally — in the drug strategy, in your local community, in your neighbourhood, get involved.