Search results
Feb 3, 2017 · Despite the well-established and researched harm reduction programs for injection drug users, little is known regarding the potential for harm reduction programs targeting crack smoking to reduce health problems from crack smoking. In the wake of recent crack pipe distribution services expansion, we utilized data from long running cohort ...
Conclusions: These findings suggest that the expansion of crack pipe distribution services has likely served to reduce health problems from smoking crack in this setting. They provide evidence supporting crack pipe distribution programs as a harm reduction service for crack smokers. Keywords: Crack smoking, Crack pipe acquisition, Harm reduction
Difficulty accessing crack pipes has been positively associated with sharing pipes and conversely, the distribution of safer crack-smoking materials has been found to reduce pipe sharing . The same study from Ontario, Canada also reported a decrease in the frequency of intravenous drug consumption associated with crack pipe distribution [ 15 ].
- Tessa Cheng, Tessa Cheng, Evan Wood, Paul Nguyen, Julio Montaner, Thomas Kerr, Kora DeBeck, Kora DeB...
- 10.1111/dar.12180
- 2015
- 2015/05
the safer crack kit distribution program was associated with a significant decline in injecting drugs and a significant increase in smoking crack.21 The study authors conclude that this is “evidence of transitioning from a higher risk method of drug use [i.e. injecting] to one with somewhat lower risks [i.e. smoking].”22 Does the distribution
- Sample Characteristics
- Provision of Safer Crack Cocaine Smoking Education
- Distribution of Safer Crack Cocaine Smoking Equipment
- Ontario: More Programs Distributing Pipes Over Time
We invited 125 NSP managers from across Canada to complete the online survey. A filter question identified eight managers who were not eligible to participate because their program did not actively distribute needles at that time (our only study eligibility criterion). Of the remaining 117 potential participants, 104 initially responded to the surv...
A majority of participants (0.76) reported that their program provides education to clients on reducing risks associated with sharing crack cocaine smoking equipment. Further, 0.75 indicated that their program provides education on identifying risks, such as cuts and injuries, from the use of improvised smoking equipment (e.g., soda cans as makeshi...
When asked if their program distributes “any” safer crack cocaine smoking equipment, 0.64 of managers responded affirmatively. Of these participants, nearly all (0.96) indicated that their program distributes pipes; over half (0.55) reported that their program has distributed safer smoking equipment for less than 5 years, while 0.43 have done so fo...
Finally, to examine potential changes in pipe distribution over time, we performed Ontario-specific sub-analyses and compared evaluation data collected in 2008 with data from the 2015 survey. Analysis showed a significant increase in the proportion of programs distributing pipes in Ontario from 0.15 to 0.71.
- Carol Strike, Tara Marie Watson
- 2017
Further, rates of reporting health problems associated with crack smoking declined significantly after the crack pipe distribution program was implemented. In the multivariable analysis, compared to obtaining crack pipes through other non-health service sources only, obtaining pipes through health service points only was significantly and negatively associated with reporting health problems ...
> Declining rates of health problems associated with crack smoking during the expansion of crack pipe distribution in Vancouver, Canada Prangnell A, Dong H, Daly P, Milloy MJ, Kerr T, Hayashi K Declining rates of health problems associated with crack smoking during the expansion of crack pipe distribution in Vancouver, Canada BMC Public Health PubMed
