The impact of an unsanctioned compassion club on non-fatal overdose

Unsanctioned compassion clubs in Vancouver were linked to fewer non-fatal overdoses, according to an open access research paper in the International Journal of Drug Policy. The Drug User Liberation Front opened the club in 2022, where members could purchase illicit drugs that were rigorously tested to reduce potentially fatal contaminants. Researchers evaluated impact using survey data from 47 club members collected at 3-month intervals between August 2022 and October 2023, then analyzed whether club enrollment was associated with overdose outcomes. Compassion club enrollment was associated with a reduced likelihood of any non-fatal overdose (AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26-0.99). Enrollment was also associated with reduced likelihood of non-fatal overdose involving naloxone administration (AOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.16-0.84). The findings support continued research on safer supply interventions and suggest that non-medicalized compassion clubs may complement existing safer supply programming to reduce overdose events.