Involuntary stabilization care of youth who overdose: a call for evidence- and ethics-informed substance use policy

As is the case across Canada, the province of British Columbia is in the midst of an opioid overdose crisis. In response to the devastating impacts of this crisis on youth (under 19 years of age), the provincial government is considering amending the Mental Health Act to allow for involuntary, hospital-based stabilization care of youth following an overdose. This policy change represents one concrete action that the provincial government is exploring in response to public advocacy for enhanced supports for youth who overdose. At this juncture, however, we are concerned that stabilization care requires further interrogation in the context of key, interrelated public health and ethical dimensions pertaining to this legislation. In this commentary, we describe three key areas for public health deliberation: (1) the evidence underpinning stabilization care, (2) ethical considerations, and (3) the potential for unintended and unevenly distributed consequences. We then offer ways forward to guide and provide opportunities for a more equitable public health response to the overdose crisis and its impacts on youth. In doing so, we emphasize the need for meaningful engagement of youth as key stakeholders in the development of evidence- and ethics-informed substance use care and policy interventions.