Decolonizing Substance Use

This course is for organizations and professionals of all types working in the space of substance use care.

This course will explore the link between colonialism and Indigenous health andsocial inequities with a focus on the toxic drug crisis and its impact on Indigenouscommunities today. Participants will discuss the origins of prohibition in Canada, strategies to address stigmas associated with substance use, examine culturally safer language, and Indigenous perspectives on harm reduction.

Key learning ideas:

• Identify the link between substance use harm and prohibition policies in Canada

• Discuss the root causes of addiction and substance use among Indigenous peoples

• Discuss Indigenous perspectives on harm reduction, de-stigmatization, and compassionate responses to the toxic drug crisis