Facilitator: Michelle Lewis

This interactive workshop will be of benefit to those with limited knowledge and experience around substance use and serves as an introduction to concepts around substance use that will give participants a common foundation. In this workshop we will cover some core concepts such as the continuum of use, stages of change, routes of administration, and examine how drug use can be unique to each individual when we understand Drug, Set and Setting.  We will question why people may or may not use substances and exercises will be used to examine our own attitudes, values and beliefs around drug use and drug users. Finally, we will review some the most up-to-date research around drug use and touch on specific substances commonly used including how they are used, what they look like, and what risk reduction strategies can be implemented.  The goal is to give participants a greater understanding of substance use, so that they are better prepared for other workshops looking at addiction, mental health, harm reduction, and client-centred interactions and approaches.

Learning Objectives:

• Increase knowledge of core concepts around substance use.
• Increase knowledge of current up-to-date research around drug use patterns and trends.
• Increase knowledge of various street and party drugs and their affects.