A recent article published by CBC News and authored by Julia Israel examined a harm-reduction program in Newfoundland and Labrador that mails safe drug-use supplies to individuals across the province, particularly those in rural and remote communities. The Safe Works Access Program (SWAP) sends its boxes to anyone who uses drugs in the province, including pharmacies, partnering organizations, and individuals’ homes.

In her interview with CBC News, Gillian Kolla, a harm reduction researcher and assistant professor at Memorial University, said that SWAP’s method of distributing harm reduction supplies by mail is innovative. “That’s actually a model here that I think the rest of the country can learn from, because in a lot of parts of the country, we’re not doing a great job of actually addressing rural and remote communities and making sure that their needs are met,” she said.

She added that the harm reduction strategy of focusing on safe drug consumption sites may work for large cities such as Vancouver, but may not work in St. John’s or Gander due to their populations being spread over a large geographical area, with rural communities located far away from the services in downtown St. John’s. “Having a discreet package delivered makes it accessible so that they don’t have to be seen going out and accessing it from a certain point where people know there are supplies available,” said Kolla.

In 2024, there were 71 deaths from accidental overdose in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to data released by the province’s chief medical examiner. Currently, SWAP partners with dozens of other organizations, as well as pharmacies and offices in the province that hold and distribute the necessary supplies.

“We’ve already seen an increase in overdose-related deaths here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kolla. “So now is the time to come in with well-resourced harm reduction and evidence-based treatment services so that we can actually get ahead of this before it becomes an absolutely dire crisis.”