Project Overview and History
The standardized system used by the Community Urinalysis and Self-Report Project (CUSP) for monitoring the content of illegal drugs was originally developed by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal (CCSMTL). It was developed with feedback from individuals who use drugs. CCSA is now collaborating with BCDCC and CCSMTL to expand this system to a national scale through a grant from Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program titled, “Developing National Surveillance of Illicit Drug Content.”
The system uses urine screening to determine the contents of drugs taken. This method avoids storing and transporting illegal substances; does not require that participants sacrifice drug samples for testing; avoids exposing testers to violence associated with the drug trade; and is more reflective of the street-level products available than testing of products seized by police.
The system also includes a survey that participants complete when they submit their urine for testing, indicating what drugs they think they took. The combination of survey data with the urine screening results shows any substances that participants took unintentionally or unknowingly, and any substances they think they took that were in fact not present. The survey can be adapted to include questions about emerging local or national issues to capture the changing preferences and needs of people who use drugs.
The project will lead to local reporting and national comparisons and publications outlining the findings of drug-use trends and emerging issues. The long-term goal for the project is that people who use drugs can receive better harm reduction and health services based on the data the project collects.
