Social justice for drug using populations – policing, public health, and a call to action

Injection drug users (IDUs) suffer from disproportionate levels of morbidity and mortality. HIV, viral hepatitis and other infections; drug overdoses; injuries; and related barriers to appropriate medical care all contribute to this disparity. However, morbidity and mortality stemming from each of these sources is preventable, particularly where the human rights of drug users are respected. Public health researchers are increasingly documenting associations between policing and the risk behaviors and health status of IDUs; these include relationships between policing and HIV sero-positivity, syringe sharing, and access to health services. Yet very few public health interventions have been undertaken to address these relationships. This presentation will provide an overview of the literature on policing and IDU health, summarize selected interventions, and outline a strategy for addressing IDU health as a moral imperative under the auspices of an Epidemiological Criminology framework.