​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​More people in Alberta, including youth, are dying from opioid use than ever before.

Here you’ll find resources and tools to help raise awareness, give education, and stop the stigma (prejudice and discrimination) of opioid use. They are brought to you by the Improving Treatment Together (ITT) project, a partnership between the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and Alberta Health Services (AHS).

Resources include:

• videos of yout​h telling their stories of opioid use
• the Addictions and Mental Health Youth Opioid Service Search tool for when you or a loved one needs help
• opioid-related resources for youth​, families, and caregivers
• videos to help service providers give care that’s right for youth and to show youth and families what to expect when working with service providers

Find a service

The new Addictions and Mental Health Youth Opioid Service Search tool is easy to use and is for youth, families, caregivers, service providers, and the public. It makes finding the most appropriate service easier than ever. It provides information on shared resources and information on youth opioid treatments and services.

Find opioid-related services for youth in Alberta.

Questions or feedback

If you have questions or feedback about the Improving Treatment Together project or you would like to add a service to the Addictions and Mental Health Service Search Tool, email informationandcyfistandards@ahs.ca.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Opioids are a class of drugs used to help with pain. Examples are codeine, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, and fentanyl. People may get them as a prescription from a doctor or buy them illegally. Illegal opioids are often not pure and can have other dangerous chemicals and drugs in them, such as carfentanil or crystal methamphetamine. When you take illegal opioids, you don’t know what you’re taking or how strong it is.

Opioid use disorder

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is when regular use of prescription or illegal opioids causes serious problems in your life—such as problems with your health, your relationships, and your work or school. It can lead to dependency on opioids, also called addiction. Opioid dependency can be long term and may lead to a chronic and life-threatening condition.

Opioid use disorder in youth

Using opioids can be especially dangerous to youth because their brains are still developing. In Alberta, opioids are causing serious harm to youth, and many youth have died from opioid poisoning, or overdose. To learn more about opioids and their risks, go to the links below:

• Learning about opioids
• Substance use common drugs: Opioids
• Opioid use disorder
• Worried about using opioids?
• What are opioids? (video)
• Safe use of long-acting opioids
• Learning about opioids and acute pain
• Fentanyl FAQ

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​These short videos tell stories from Alberta youth who have lived with opioid use. Their stories will:

• tell you about opioid use and OUD treatment options
• help you understand why young people might use opioids
• fight stigma (negative attitude and discrimination) around opioid use
• help to encourage you or someone you care about to get help for opioid use

Opioids ​and ​youth — Taking control​

In this video, a youth shares how recognizing and leaving a harmful relationship helped her take control of her life and start her wellness journey.

French video

Opioids and youth — Exploring different approaches to wellness

In this video, a youth talks about trying different tools like Suboxone and harm reduction to support his wellness journey, and how he found what works for him.

French video

Opioids and youth — Life after opioids​

In this video, a youth shares how family support, Narcotics Anonymous, and Suboxone have helped her live a more meaningful life.

French video

​​​​​​​​​​​​To get help and to learn more about opioids and opioid use, see these resources.

Where to get help in Alberta—24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Addictions and Mental Health Youth Opioid Service Search tool​
  
• Addiction Help Line (Alberta wide) 1-866-332-2322
• Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre 403-253-5250
• Distress Centre (Calgary and southern Alberta) 403-266-4357

Resources for youth, families, and caregivers​

• Communicating about substance use in compassionate, safe, and non-stigmatizing ways​
  
• Beyond Stigma (video)
• Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act
  
• How do families talk to youth about opioids?
• kickstand
• Let’s Talk Opioids
  
• Opioids: A Survival Guide
• Parents like us. The unofficial survival guide to parenting a young person with a substance use disorder
• Questions to Ask Service Providers about Opioid Use:
  • Tips for Youth (PDF)
  • Tips for Family Members (PDF)
• Signs and symptoms of an overdose
• This is What Happens to Your Brain on Opioids (video)
• Togetherall
• Where do I start?
• You Are Not Alone | Our Collective Journey (podcast)

Naloxone—medicine to help stop opioid poisoning

• Facilities with naloxone kits (choose your community)
• Information about naloxone — Government of Canada
• Community based naloxone program — Alberta Health Services
• Drugsafe — Alberta Health Services
• ​​How to give naloxone if you think someone has opioid poisoning
  

Other resources

• Fact Sheet: Opioids Prevention, Harm Reduction & Treatment — Alberta Health Services
• Opioid Dependency Program (ODP) — Alberta Health Services
• Drugsafe
• Opioids and the opioid crisis – Get the facts — Government of Canada
• Prescription Opioids (Canadian Drug Summary) — Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
• Distress Centre – 24 hour 403-266-4357
• Addiction Help Line 1-866-332-2322
• Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre - 24 hour 403-253-5250

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Government of Alberta (2020). Alberta COVID-19 Opioid Response Surveillance Report: Q2 2020.​

Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, Alberta (2018). Into Focus: Calling Attention to Youth Opioid Use in Alberta.