This is a recording of a presentation to the Drug Strategy Network of Ontario (DSNO) on February 28, 2023. Karen McDonald, Lead of Toronto’s Drug Checking Service (TDCS) and Research Program Manager at the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation at St. Michael’s Hospital, discusses the model used in Toronto, trends they are seeing in the unregulated drug supply, and the implications of those findings as they relate to the ongoing opioid poisoning crisis.
Toronto's Drug Checking Service: Emerging lessons and implications from EENet on Vimeo.
04:35 - Background on drug checking
08:20 - Toronto's Drug Checking Service
22:02 - Findings from samples checked - drugchecking.cdpe.org
26:43 - What is contaminating the fentanyl supply
27:57 - Fentanyl-related drugs presenting in expected fentanyl samples
28:59 - Carfentanil found in expected fentanyl samples
30:12 - Nitazene opioids found in expected fentanyl samples
31:39 - High-potency opioids found in expected fentanyl samples
24:01 - Benzodiazepine-related drugs found in expected fentanyl samples
36:30 - Xylazine found in expected fentanyl samples
38:19 - Growing complexities in the composition of fentanyl samples associated with OD
40:18 - High-potency opioids found in other drug types
42:55 – Reasons why drug checking services are important
50:50 - Key takeaways
53:16 - Drug Strategy Network of Ontario use of TDCS data
Toronto's Drug Checking Service: drugchecking.cdpe.org/
Drug Strategy Network of Ontario: drugstrategy.ca/