Illicit drug toxicity is now the leading cause of death for children and youth ages 10 to 18 in BC, and a leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults across Canada and the US. 2S/LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth and those experiencing unstable housing and homelessness are particularly vulnerable to overdose and other drug-related harms as a result of overlapping forms of historical and ongoing structural oppression. Numerous knowledge and service gaps persist for these populations across BC, Canada, and the US, leading to an unacceptable loss of life in these contexts.

 

This research cluster brings together provincial, national and international leaders in youth substance use, treatment and care to develop, test, and study effective approaches to youth overdose prevention. Guided by the activist call for “Nothing About Us Without Us,” we work alongside young people and families with diverse lived experience, guided by Elders, a Cultural Facilitator, and other Indigenous leaders. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                  Art by Sophie McKenzie inspired by the Living On experimental film project.