Supervised drug consumption sites have become the latest target of those looking to sow division and score cheap political points.
Health misinformation — defined as false information that is spread, regardless of intent – precedes COVID-19, but the proliferation of misinformation during the pandemic birthed an entire discipline dedicated to understanding it and developing effective responses. Public health agencies around the world have set up “infodemic management” units to monitor misinformation before it starts to spread and to react with rapid responses.
So what? Does it really matter if someone thinks wearing a toque will protect them from the common cold? Where misinformation causes harm is when it leads people to underestimate the genuine risks that threaten their health, or on the flip side, to overestimate risks — sometimes generating stigma, wasting time and public money, or undermining confidence in health professionals.
I lead an organization mandated to provide Canadians with accurate information about HIV and hepatitis C. In the past few years, we have witnessed an increasing weaponization of misinformation to undermine infection prevention and health promotion services for people who use drugs.
Supervised consumption sites — supported by decades of research proving that they save lives, prevent infections and reduce public drug use — have become the latest target of misinformation and disinformation. Also coming under attack are needle exchange programs, which collect and dispose of used needles so they don’t end up in parks, public washrooms and alleyways. These are not radical ideas; they are common-sense approaches to dealing with substance use and addiction.
Canadians have different opinions about drug use and our addiction services. Where I think we can all agree is that everyone deserves to be safe, including people who use drugs and their neighbours, who don’t want to see used syringes in their community.
On World AIDS Day — Dec. 1 — you will be inundated with information about HIV and AIDS, including how to protect yourself. Just as critical for the prevention of HIV is to protect ourselves from misinformation about HIV prevention programs, and those who are willing to spread it.