what’s cracking?
(Special 4 page edition!)
March 2014
Monthly info brought to you by SWCHC’s Needle Exchange Safer Inhalation Program
NESI Harm Reduction
SOCIAL!
Hang out over some food with
other folks who use drugs! Beat
the winter blues together, share
food, laughs & talk with each other!
International
Women’s Day
Celebration!
Celebrate over 100 years of
women’s achievements!
When:
Weds. March 5th 3-7pm
Don’t miss: ‘PROUDly
Speaking About
Harm Reduction’
When? Weds, MARCH 19th 6PM
Where? 3rd floor SWCHC
(Booth & Eccles)
Where: OASIS Drop-in
Women’s Clinic- 221 Nelson St.
NESI Peer Program
*Light Food *Fun Prizes
*Entertainment!
Discuss data from the study about
supervised injection services,
access to harm reduction
supplies, and access to treatment
in our city!
Take part in Self-Defense for
Sex Workers
Last year, PROUD interviewed 600
people who use drugs.
Looking to make a healthy
connection with other folks who use?
Looking to make some extra ca$h?
Interested in working with the NESI
program? Every Thursday, our peer
program compensates peers for 2
hours of work. Work ranges from
preparing Safer Inhalation supplies and
gear, to outdoor work, to
neighborhood clean ups! Interested?
Call us to find out how to join!
(613)238.8210 ext 2246
POPP
A naloxone kit could help you prevent a
loved one from overdosing. Get your
free training and Naloxone kit today
through Public Health’s SITE Peer
Overdose Prevention Program.
Call the site van any week night to
schedule your free training today!
A training workshop open to all
women from 3:30-5pm!
This self-defense workshop has
been created by Sex Trade Workers
for Sex Trade Workers. It will be
delivered by a certified trainer and
women with lived experience.
LEARN HOW TO:
*Recognize Cues to Assault
*Trust your instincts
*Get away safely!
For more information, please call
Ryta @ Oasis 613-569-3488,
Allison @ SWCHC 613 238-8210 x
2319,
or Fred @ ACO 613-238-5014 x. 233
Brought to you by:
Would you use a supervised
injection site?
Do you have trouble accessing
needles or pipes?
Have you ever wanted to be on
methadone or treatment?
When? 1pm – 3pm
Thurs March 6th
Where? PROUD Place,
216 Murray Street
Coffee and snacks provided.
JOIN us at PROUD and share your
thoughts and opinions about the
results.
It’s your chance to get involved in
improving services in Ottawa.
613.232.3232
The NESI program is based at Somerset West Community Health Centre, 55 Eccles (Corner of Booth and Eccles).
Got Questions? Need Supplies? Drop by the NESI resource Room,
or Call a NESI Worker at: (613)238-8210 Ali ext. 2319 John ext.2270 Lindsay ext.2987 Stan ext.2392
Evening or night? Call the NESI Outreach Van: (613)761-0003
Food Donations on
the Van
The NESI van gets an assortment
of food donations throughout the
week from starbucks, bridgehead,
and sometimes various food
banks and charities.
Heads up that we don’t receive
food everyday nor deliver solely
food donations. If we do receive
food donations it is usually after
7pm. Thanks for your patience
when we don’t have food
available and feel free to give us a
ring and inquire about our
services.
Do You Realize
Beyond
the Walls:
77% of adults sentenced in Canada
are under parole/probation and
other conditions. These conditions
have become increasingly strict,
under the guise of “getting tough on
crime”.
Come share your experiences and
concerns about these punishments.
When? Weds. March 5th 7PM
Where? 800 King Edward Ave
(University of Ottawa) room A0150
Find out how we can work together
to change some of these practices!
Thanks to all those who shared their
experiences to make this happen!
We aim to make this a safe place for
all those affected by criminalization.
Organized by Criminalization
Punishment Education Project.
By Joe Banks
Do you realize life is beautiful
Do you realize that our lives
move so fast
Do you realize how magical it is
to fall in love
Do you realize how mysterious
your eyes are
Do you realize that everyone
close to our heart dies one day
So let them know the love you
carry inside your heart
Do you realize love never dies
Rescued sparrow about to go free
A photo by Christian
Adventures with Allen the Alien
By: Henry Cyr
Pancakes!
Drop by for pancakes, coffee& a chat
with other folks who use drugs in a
safe, non-judgmental space!
Where? 216 Murray St. (old 454)
When? Every Friday 9:30 to 12pm
This is a safe space where folks can
be themselves!
No Stigma! Just pancakes!
ODSP Reviews!
Heads up!!
ODSP has gotten more aggressive
lately in the amount of people they
are targeting for medical reviews.
They are hitting up to 300 people on
ODSP per month in Ontario!
What does this mean…
You could risk getting cut off of ODSP
if you don’t respond in time!
Make sure you keep an eye out for an
ODSP application in the mail.
If you get one contact your doctor
about filling it out.
Got questions…
Call us and we can help connect you
to folks who can help!
Take the Bus
to Toronto!
Got something to Share?
Got something to share in our
newsletter? We accept, art,
comics, photos, poems, rants, and
any other ways you’d like to
express yourself. Talk to Stan at
(613)238-8210 ext. 2392 to get
your piece in next month’s!
Ritual Abuse and Healing:
Stop the War on the Poor!
Bus, rally & march, together!
Abuse, Trauma and Building
Movements for
Collective Liberation
Anti-poverty groups across the
province, are coming together in
Toronto to deliver a strong
message to the Provincial
Government and all parties that
poverty makes us sick, and we’re
tired of empty political gestures!
Our Pots and pans are empty!
Bring your’s to bang!
When? Saturday, March 22nd
Bus leaves from Bronson Centre
(211 Bronson Avenue)
at 8:00am sharp!
Returns by 9pm at night!
Get a spot on the bus!
Call or text 613.220.0554 to talk to
an organizer, and book your spot
(deadline to book your seat is
March 13th)
Lunch will be provided on the bus,
followed by a hot meal when we get
in to Toronto before the march.
Together let’s make these
demands loud and clear:
A 55% raise to OW and ODSP to
restore the spending power lost
since the 90’s
$14 an hour minimum wage!
Full restoration of the Special Diet
and Community Start Up Benefit!
No merger of OW and ODSP, stop
the attack on Disability benefits!
Get frisky with
NEW CONDOMS!
As you know,
NESI is a partner
with OPH & we
work together to
bring you free
safer injection
and safer sex supplies!
The condom supply just got more
exciting!
We now carry:
Extra thin Kimono condoms!
Extra large Trojan condoms!
non-latex condoms! (for those with
latex allergies and sensitivities)
And the good old lubed condoms!
Be sure to grab some and try them
out! Also, all our staff are happy to
talk sex if you have any questions!
====================
6pm - Tuesday, March 11 at 6pm
Quaker House 91A Fourth Avenue
Free! Accessible
Contact us if you require ASL/LSF
or if you have any other questions
[email protected]
=====================
Come out to a panel discussion that
will focus on what ritual abuse is
through the stories of two survivors
and on the effects that it has on their
lives, as well as the processes by
which they healed, and continue to
heal from the traumas they
experienced as children and adults. It
will also focus on the importance of
collective healing and collective
struggle in order to end ritual abuse
and child abuse, and to create a
world of justice, dignity and freedom
for all.
Two ritual abuse survivors, Billie Rain
and Matt Cicero will be speaking.
Moderated by a local activist and
psychotherapist Diana Ralph. Ritual
Abuse has only recently started to
really gain visibility as the number of
survivors who have been speaking
out continues to grow.
“Create a Space”
A safe space for folks
who use drugs! Join
the NESI gang for an
Art workshop hosted
by Artswell.
When? 3-5pm March 12
Where? 3rd floor at SWCHC
Space is limited, so talk to us about
signing up at:
613.238.8210 ext.2246
Daisy’s Drop-In
A Safe Space
for Women Sex
Workers
Come join us for breakfast
snacks, coffee chats & support.
*bus tickets provided!*
Where: 1475 Caldwell Ave
When: 5:30-8:30 am
Fridays: March 7th & 21st
For more info, call Allison:
613.327.0002
PISSING CLEAN. . .
NEED GEAR?
Need condoms?
Wanna know how long
dope stays in your urine?
The NESI team distributes kits for
safer rock smoking, fits, and all the
stuff that goes with them. We also
have supplies for safer sex, and
provide education on safer use and
referrals to a bunch of services.
Here’s how to Reach us:
You've got a few options!
Check out this list below!
Opiates
Opium………..…………………1-2 days
Fentanyl…………..…………...2-4 days
Morphine……………………….1-2 days
Codeine eg. Tylenol………..1-2 days
Heroin…………………………….1-2 days
Hydro morph………………….1-2 days
Meperidin…..………………..5-10 days
Oxy……………….…………....8-14 hours
NESI Drop In
Times:
Mondays to Fridays 1pm-4pm
We’re at Somerset West
Community Health Centre (corner
of Booth and Eccles). Drop-in for
support and advocacy in a nonjudgmental environment. Chat.
Grab some gear. Use our computer.
Have a coffee.
Stimulants
Cocaine & Crack………..….8-36 hours
Amphetamines…………..…….1-2 days
Phenmetrazine……………..….1-2 days
Methylphenidate (Ritalin)...1-2 days
Nicotine…………………………...2-4 days
Foot Outreach!
Outreach workers & peer workers
are out on foot throughout the
week in different neighbourhoods.
Need gear? Call‘em!
Ali 613.327.0002
Lindsay 613.292-9119
Stan 613.295.4329
Depressants
Alcohol…………………………8-36 hours
Barbituates eg. Nembutal.2-10 days
Benzos eg. Valium…….......1-6 weeks
Methaqualone…………………..2 weeks
Glutethimide…………………..2-10 days
Grass and Hash
Unlike the other drugs, the more weed
&THC you use the longer it stays in
your system.
Marijuana……………..…2 days -11 wks
Hashish/Hash Oil…....2 days - 11 wks
IMPORTANT:
Since we all have different
metabolisms it might take
more/less time to clear drugs for a
clean piss test. Also this is strictly
about pee; some places, like CAS do
hair sampling, which can detect
drugs months after you’ve used.
the NESI VAN
We’re back on the road with our
big white dodge sprinter NESI van!
Same hours. Same service.
Just give us a call! (613)761-0003
We’re out on the road:
Friday to Tuesday: 5pm -11:30pm
Wednesdays: 5pm to 10pm
(Thursdays no service)
We’re happy to deliver supplies to
you anywhere in the greater
Ottawa Area. Got rigs to return?
Used Pipes? We'll come get'em!
TIPS for Women
who inject!
Some women can’t shoot
themselves up and rely on a
partner/spouse to inject them.
Some of these partners may abuse
female drug users by not shooting
them up when they want or need it
or by giving them too much of the
drug.
Abusive partners may also take
advantage of women in other ways.
Take control of your own use by
learning to shoot up yourself!
Establish your own connection with
a dealer so you can get what you
need when you need it.
Knowing how to inject and score
for yourself means you don’t have
to rely on others and reduces your
risk of being abused.
Stay connected with harm
reduction workers.
If you are a sex worker, try to
always get paid in cash and try to
avoid trading sex for drugs.
Buy your own drugs so you can
remain in control! Some clients may
try to take advantage of you by not
giving you the drugs when you
need/want them the most.
Many drugs including opiates and
amphetamines affect our periods.
They may become shorter, longer, or
stop altogether. Despite this, you
still need to use birth control and
condoms to prevent STIs.
Got more questions? A NESI
worker & peer worker are happy to
chat with you!
(information taken from CATIE’s
“Sharp Shooters” handbook, grab
one from the NESI van & drop-in)