B.C.91裸聊视频檚 top doctor says special attention needs to be paid to children and youth impacted by pandemic, and how that could relate to substance use.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Thursday (Feb. 1) there91裸聊视频檚 limited data currently on substance use among children and youth, but 91裸聊视频渨e need to do better on addressing the spectrum for youth and young adults who disproportionately suffered91裸聊视频� from the measures put in place over the last few years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

91裸聊视频淲e need to pay attention to that because we know mental health and anxiety issues in teenagers and young adults have increased, and these are being exacerbated. We know that when mental health issues go up, the use of substances to help deal with those issues also goes up.91裸聊视频�

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Those findings were part of a report to government on Thursday from Henry who had been tasked with reviewing B.C.91裸聊视频檚 prescribed safer supply program. In the report, it noted that safer supply could include potential harms, such as the supply being diverted to groups it wasn91裸聊视频檛 intended for: children and youth.

While 91裸聊视频渟ome diversion is occuring,91裸聊视频� the extent of the impacts are unknown and the report added that B.C.91裸聊视频檚 Representative for Children and Youth Jennifer Charlesworth said 91裸聊视频渢here is no indication91裸聊视频� from available data that children and youth have been using diverted safer supply medications at a significant scale.

According to the report, diversion of hydromorphone has been reported by staff and clients and a 91裸聊视频渃ommon occurence,91裸聊视频� possibly due to some people using the program already have a high opioid tolerance. Some safer supply clients reported diverting their hydromorphone in order to obtain other substances that better meet their needs.

91裸聊视频淲here we91裸聊视频檝e had, for example, very high rates of fentanyl for a long time, and people who have a very high tolerance to high doses of opioids, and were prescribed safer supply with the limited options that were available, (hydromorphone) was not a very effective tool for the vast majority of people there,91裸聊视频� Henry explained.

The report adds there are anecdotal reports that have suggested youth 91裸聊视频渕ay increasingly be accessing diverted hydromorphone,91裸聊视频� however current B.C. data doesn91裸聊视频檛 show an increase in opioid-use disorder among that age group.

Henry called for a 91裸聊视频渃entralized ability91裸聊视频� to collect the data that is out there around children and youth, their mental health and substance use. She said she believes there needs to be opportunities for young people to make up 91裸聊视频渇or what they91裸聊视频檝e been through over the last few years, to give them economic opportunities, opportunities for connection with peers, for culturally safe connection with elders for indigenous youth.91裸聊视频�

In her recommendations, Henry also called for a greater emphasis should be placed on monitoring the safer supply program for unintended consequences, including primary data collection with youth about their use of substances generally and their access to diverted medications.