Kathleen Cochran
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momsforallpaths.bsky.social
Kathleen Cochran
@momsforallpaths.bsky.social
250 followers 490 following 30 posts
We are moms who love our children who use drugs problematically- #HarmReduction- #healthbaseddrugpolicies- #endoverdose- #endprohibition
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Reposted by Kathleen Cochran
hrna.bsky.social
By shifting away from punitive policies and aligning with a harm reduction approach and evidence-informed practices, a healthcare system that upholds all individuals' dignity, safety, and well-being regardless of their substance use status or professional roles can exist.

#harmreduction #drugsky
Conclusion: Existing evidence suggests that risks to healthcare professionals from secondary illicit drug exposure can be mitigated. Rigorous research and evaluations on exposure risks would bolster the current literature and inform decision makers. Punishing PWUD fails to address stigma, fails to mitigate safety risks, and is ultimately a barrier to accessing healthcare. Instead of focusing on criminalization and compounding surveillance measures, there is an urgent need to embrace evidence-informed policies that foster collective safety for patients and providers. By shifting away from punitive policies and aligning with a harm reduction approach and evidence-informed practices, a healthcare system that upholds all individuals' dignity, safety, and well-being regardless of their substance use status or professional roles can exist. Harm reduction is healthcare.
April 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Reposted by Kathleen Cochran
hrna.bsky.social
We offer recommendations that that are rooted in evidence, not moral panic over illicit fentanyl. We resist false dichotomies presented as policy options.

See here for our full list of recommendations 👇
Our Recommendations: Overdose prevention sites (OPS) within or adjacent to hospitals are crucial for providing a safe space for patients to inject and inhale drugs, reducing the risk of overdose death. Implementation of these sites offer several key benefits that include: Our Recommendations: • Providing a safe and supervised space for people to consume drugs to manage withdrawal symptoms while admitted to hospital • Reducing safety risks through increased environmental and relational controls • Allowing patients who use substances to remain in hospital, ensuring continued access to medical care and support services • Reducing the need for over-surveillance by directly addressing patient needs • Accommodating various methods of drug consumption, including injection and inhalation, addressing diverse needs • Promoting a harm reduction approach that prioritizes the health and well-being of individuals who use drugs Our Recommendations: We also believe that PWUD and worker safety are not mutually exclusive. Staff have the right to a safe work environment, which is achievable through specific evidence-informed, person-centred strategies that include: Our Recommendations: • Providing sterile equipment to PWUD, either directly or through the implementation of harm reduction vending machines, and ensuring staff are trained to work with clients on safe methods of administration, in line with established harm reduction knowledge and evidence. • Situating OPS in or adjacent to hospitals with the capacity to support inhalation. This would allow PWUD to consume their substances safely and decrease the need for consumption in common or public areas. • Avoiding making healthcare workers de facto enforcers of public safety. This leads to moral distress and moral injury when enforcing probationary polices that are not patient-centred.
April 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM