Our Mission
The Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network (SOPEN) is a volunteer-led and community-based organization. We are committed to mutual aid and reciprocally sharing knowledge about harm reduction and the toxic drug crisis in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) in a non-judgmental and compassionate way
Our Goals
To provide accessible education and resources about harm reduction and drug poisoning prevention and response
Our Values
Community Care
SOPEN fosters an inclusive environment, removing barriers to education and resources for harm reduction. We empower people to prioritize safety and well-being
Social Justice
SOPEN promotes human rights and equitable distribution of resources, advocating with marginalized communities, particularly those who use drugs. We challenge stigma, discrimination, and oppressive structures to foster compassionate collective care
Education
SOPEN provides readily available resources and knowledge to empower individuals to make informed decisions about health and safety. Accountability in education is vital for integrity, trust, transparency, and responsiveness, enhancing harm reduction education’s impact on the drug crisis.
Our Vision
We envision a world without overdose related-deaths, and a full and healthy life for people who use drugs
We envision a world where drug policy is rooted in public health, compassionate care, and human rights-based approaches
We envision a world where marginalized groups of people, particularly racialized communities, Indigenous populations and women are no longer overrepresented in the criminal justice system for drug-related offences
We envision a world where drugs are fully decriminalized nationwide and all drugs are legally regulated through various models, including safe supply, compassion clubs, pharmacies, and safe consumption sites
We envision stigma-free and compassionate healthcare in the medical sector
A Word From Our Founders
As students and social workers on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic, we collectively decided to develop better long-term solutions to the drug poisoning crisis through community engagement and mutual aid with like-minded community members and activists. We are passionately committed to reciprocal knowledge sharing in a brave space and we strongly believe that our interactive presentations on overdose prevention, and the importance of harm reduction will make a difference in our community. This movement will save lives and we hope you will join us.
