Ontario is in the midst of a drug crisis. These seven charts tell us who’s being hit hardest

Lead author Tonya Campbell

Tonya Campbell, PhD candidate at MAP, spoke with the Toronto Star about new research highlighting the disproportionate impact that opioid overdoses are having on Black, Asian and Latin American drug users. “These findings highlight that more research is needed to understand the crisis among racialized people, and they also emphasize that racialized communities need to have these long overdue conversations around drug use and surrounding stigma,” says Campbell.

Two new research chairs appointed at MAP

Two MAP scientists, Drs. Flora Matheson and Dan Werb, have recently been appointed five-year research chairs by Unity Health Toronto and the University of Toronto.

Dr. Flora Matheson has been named the St. Michael’s Hospital Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health. She leads the Justice and Equity Lab, housed at MAP, where she investigates the links between health and criminalization/the justice system and examines risk factors for imprisonment. She was one of the first researchers in Canada to investigate and measure the strong relationship between problem gambling and homelessness. She and Good Shepherd Ministries co-developed and launched the first gambling-addiction program for people experiencing homelessness. Learn more about Dr. Matheson’s research

Dr. Dan Werb has been named the St. Michael’s Hospital Chair in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. He leads the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation at MAP, which conducts extensive epidemiologic, implementation and policy research on addictions and drug policy, and works closely with governments, affected communities and civil society to guide effective and evidence-based policy responses to substance use. Dr. Werb has devoted his career to the development of effective solutions to protect health and human rights among communities affected by drug use. Learn more about Dr. Werb’s research

Free harm reduction, sex health supplies just a touch away at Winnipeg clinic’s vending machine

Dr. Sean Rourke spoke with CBC about the value and importance of making harm reduction supplies available via Our Healthbox. “If we’re reaching the right people and knowing what their needs are — knowing how those are changing in a particular community — that information is really helpful for an agency to know who you’re helping and who you’re not,” Rourke said.