After last week’s blog about the cannabis resources available for parents and youth, I spent a few hours examining some of the research that has begun to emerge about the impact of legalization on the rates of use of cannabis. Possibly the most striking thing I learned, that I am still examining, is that legalization …
There were 2861 apparent opioid-related deaths in 2017 and that number is expected to increase to approximately 4000 deaths in the coming year. The question is: Can this number predict at all how many new resources will be needed to improve the prevention of opioid-related deaths? Will we be able at least to stem the …
Tomorrow, nursing staff in the Youth Program at the Royal will offer the flu vaccine to inpatients. This is the kind of public health work that nurses often do, education and prevention, and they are very good at this work. But, inevitably, from time to time, they will have to present the science that vaccines …
The holiday season has officially started. I have begun to make a list of the families in my practice that should receive grocery vouchers so that they can afford food for the holidays. I also make a list for the teenagers who are living on their own. I confirm addresses and watch young people’s faces …
The debate on safe, supervised injection sites is intensifying in Ottawa, with a lot of media interest. On Tuesday morning I was interviewed on CBC Ottawa Morning regarding this issue. I was pleased with how fairly I was interviewed by Robyn Bresnahan. She really elicited all the concerns in this complicated issue. Here is the …
Every day I see patients who need a safe injection site in Ottawa. This would not only help ensure their physical health but the health promotion geared to help them stop misusing injectable drugs would be more available to them. It is important for this issue to be debated widely so I was pleased that …
I first met Dr. Isra Levy sometime around 2000 when he and I crossed paths at the Academy of Medicine Ottawa but I really got to know him from 2002-2004 when he and I both worked at the Canadian Medical Association. At the time, he was the Director of CMA’s Office for Public Health and …
Today I read two stories about government assistance for babies and the families that care for them. After reading these two reports, I found myself thinking that Canada does not welcome its newest citizens as well as it could. I will start with the story of how Finland welcomes babies and it was posted on …
