The second Drug Checking Symposium was hosted on February 27 and 28 by the BCCSU Drug Checking team in partnership with Fraser Health Authority and with funding from the Ministry of Health.

More than 130 drug checking technicians, service providers, community members, policy makers, program planners, and researchers from across BC and Canada gathered in-person at the Anvil Centre and online for the Drug Checking Symposium last month.

The two-day symposium provided a forum for those involved in drug checking to share the latest knowledge, foster connections, and discuss the future of drug checking in British Columbia.

Drug checking empowers people who use drugs to make informed decisions about the substances they intend to use and helps provide timely information about what is in the drug supply. The BCCSU Drug Checking Program supports a network of drug checking services across BC with training, data stewardship, and operational guidance.

One of the main goals of this year’s symposium was to support the expansion of drug checking services in underserved communities, including rural and remote settings.

Dr. Silvina Mema, deputy chief medical health officer with Interior Health, delivered a keynote presentation on the role of drug checking in the public health response to the overdose crisis. Other symposium sessions showcased an innovative drug checking project with students from Woodlands Secondary School in Nanaimo, Indigenous-led harm reduction, new strategies for improving access to drug checking in rural and remote communities, and an open mic session that provided a platform for those involved with drug checking to share experiences from their work across the province. This year’s symposium emphasized the importance of resilience, growth, and the power of data to inform and improve services.

For more information on drug checking, visit drugcheckingbc.ca.