Substance Use Services
Consult the resources below for substance use services offered in Vancouver.
Substance Use Services
Consult the resources below for substance use services offered throughout Vancouver. Sites may offer a range of services for youth/young adults aged 24 and under, adults and older adults and are welcoming spaces for lesbian, gay, bi, trans*, Two-Spirit, queer/questioning (LGTB2Q+) and Indigenous communities. These services include substance use services, withdrawal management, harm reduction, and specialized programs.
Please refer to 9-1-1 in an emergency, 8-1-1 for non-emergency information on how to access alternatives to toxic drug supply and substance use services, Alcohol & Drug Information and Referral Service at 1-800-663-1441 (toll-free in B.C.) or 604-660-9382 (in the Lower Mainland) to find resources and support. For information and to be connected to services near you, call the Access Central-Detox Referral Line at 1-866-658-1221.
Withdrawal Services
Withdrawal management, or detox, is the process of removing toxins (drugs) from the body. There is no set time frame for detox to be completed. For some, the process will take a few hours or days. For others, it may take weeks to completely clear the body of the drug.
Generally, people with opioid addiction can go through detox as an outpatient (during the day, patients don’t have to stay overnight). Example programs include the START program, Vancouver Daytox, St Paul’s Rapid Access Addiction clinic, and Downtown Eastside Connections clinic. Treatment and medications are available after withdrawal is finished.
Overnight stays for withdrawal are available at Vancouver Detox. Everyone is offered follow-up treatment.
There are risks with “detoxing” from opioids too quickly. When people go through withdrawal management alone with no other treatment, research shows they are at a higher risk for overdose (since they have less tolerance to opioids), HIV and Hepatitis C infection and relapse to opioid use. For most people, it is safest to have a period of stabilization with medication rather than a “rapid detox”.
Harm Reduction and Supervised Consumption Sites
"Harm reduction is a public health approach that aims to reduce harms related to substance use. Harm reduction includes many options and approaches. It may include abstinence, or not using substances at all. Stopping all substance use isn’t required before receiving care. It meets people wherever they are in their substance use journey. Evidence shows that harm reduction does not increase or encourage substance use." -- HealthLink BC
