Matthew Bonn: Stigma Toward People who Use Drugs

Everybody Hates Me: Let's Talk About Stigma

Matthew Bonn is the program coordinator of the Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs, national board member with the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and is a knowledge translator for the Dr. Peters Centre. Matt was one of the cofounders of HaliFIX Overdose Prevention Society which implemented Atlantic Canada’s first Overdose Prevention Site. Matt is also a freelance writer with By Lines in Filter-Magazine, CATIE, The Coast and The Conversation. He contributes to our understanding of the opioid epidemic, overdose prevention, and decriminalizing drugs. Follow him on Twitter here. Find more of his work and art here:
Slowly Dying Part 1
Already Feel Dead
RDS VS A Story of Justice and Race
and What's for Lunch can be found here

We talk about the harms of stigmatizing people who use drugs, and how widespread and blatant stigma is, from co-workers, families and the healthcare system. We talk about the intersection of stigma toward drug use and other health issues, such as Hepatitis C and HIV, and social identities. Matthew shares the problems created by criminalizing drug use, and the possibilities that are created when people who use drugs are treated with respect, support, and humanity.
Episode hosted by Dr. Carmen Logie. Supported by funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Canada Research Chairs program. Original music and podcast produced by Jupiter Productions, who have various production services available to support your podcast needs.