Our evidence has shown that it reduces overdose deaths, and I can point to other studies where it has not been shown to increase rates. Rates of addiction have not been increasing since we introduced safer supply. The description that Dr. Koivu gave is about the ever-escalating need for increasing dosages. That's not what I see happening in the way that prescribers in British Columbia are practising. In fact, in our study, we found that safer supply medications were, at least in the first 18 months, at a lower dose than we see with traditional opioid agonist treatment.
I do a lot of qualitative research. I interview people who are receiving safer supply, and I often ask them about their goals. I would say that, frequently, what they talk about is the goal of getting off safer supply. That might include using safer supply for a period of time and maybe transitioning to OAT, but they have a plan because they too want to live a full life and have a high quality of life. Those kinds of goals are, I think, really important.
That's some of the reality that I see within the work I'm doing.