TY - JOUR
AU - K. Hill
AU - K. Dunham
AU - Z. Brokos
AU - J. L. Butner
AU - I. Hull
AU - K. L. Sue
AU - L. Li
AU - K. Thakarar
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Position statements clarify key issues that are in alignment with the vision, mission, and values of the AMERSA, Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction). This Position Statement, endorsed by the AMERSA Board of Directors on October 3, 2023, amplifies the position of the organization, guides their activities, and informs the public and policymakers on the organization's stance on this issue. ISSUE: The unregulated drug supply in the United States evolves constantly, leaving those who use drugs potentially unaware of new adulterants in their drugs. Not knowing that information can leave people vulnerable to serious adverse events such as fatal overdoses, wounds, and other health consequences. Without real-time data on the composition of drugs available in a community, healthcare providers and public health practitioners are left with insufficient data, making it increasingly difficult to know how to best serve people who use drugs. In this context, community-based drug checking has become recognized as an important harm reduction strategy with the potential to provide those who use drugs with more information about their supply. RECOMMENDATIONS: It is imperative to expand funding and increase access to drug checking programs in communities across the United States. Key policy changes, such as those related to decriminalizing drug and drug paraphernalia possession, are needed to increase the utilization of drug checking programs. Protection of persons who use drugs through harm reduction strategies, including drug checking programs needs to be widely available and accessible.
AD - Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.; Church of Safe Injection, Lewiston, ME, USA.; Department of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.; Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.; Center for Interdisciplinary Population and Health Research, MaineHealth Institute for Research, Portland, ME, USA.; Department of Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA.; Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.; Maine Medical Partners Adult Infectious Diseases, South Portland, ME, USA.
AN - 38258861
BT - Subst Use Addctn J
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 1
DA - Jan
DO - 10.1177/29767342231212787
DP - NLM
IS - 1
JF - Subst Use Addctn J
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Position statements clarify key issues that are in alignment with the vision, mission, and values of the AMERSA, Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction). This Position Statement, endorsed by the AMERSA Board of Directors on October 3, 2023, amplifies the position of the organization, guides their activities, and informs the public and policymakers on the organization's stance on this issue. ISSUE: The unregulated drug supply in the United States evolves constantly, leaving those who use drugs potentially unaware of new adulterants in their drugs. Not knowing that information can leave people vulnerable to serious adverse events such as fatal overdoses, wounds, and other health consequences. Without real-time data on the composition of drugs available in a community, healthcare providers and public health practitioners are left with insufficient data, making it increasingly difficult to know how to best serve people who use drugs. In this context, community-based drug checking has become recognized as an important harm reduction strategy with the potential to provide those who use drugs with more information about their supply. RECOMMENDATIONS: It is imperative to expand funding and increase access to drug checking programs in communities across the United States. Key policy changes, such as those related to decriminalizing drug and drug paraphernalia possession, are needed to increase the utilization of drug checking programs. Protection of persons who use drugs through harm reduction strategies, including drug checking programs needs to be widely available and accessible.
PY - 2024
SN - 2976-7342
SP - 4
EP - 9+
ST - In Support of Community Drug Checking Programs: Position Statement of AMERSA, Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction)
T1 - In Support of Community Drug Checking Programs: Position Statement of AMERSA, Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction)
T2 - Subst Use Addctn J
TI - In Support of Community Drug Checking Programs: Position Statement of AMERSA, Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction)
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use
U3 - 10.1177/29767342231212787
VL - 45
VO - 2976-7342
Y1 - 2024
ER -