About

Unified Networkers of Drug Users Nationally

UNDUN is an ad-hoc coalition of users, ex-users, and allies who are committed to ongoing organizing of local user groups as the basis of an active national movement for harm reduction. We believe that drugs users are the strongest voice for the needs of drugs users. Drug users are dying from criminalization, marginalization, and impoverishment on a daily basis. The current status quo drug policy in Canada remains an outgrowth of early 20th century’s hysterical, oppressive, racist and prohibitionist attitudes toward personal drug use. We are sick and tired of being the scapegoats for problems that are rooted in the very fabric of drug policy – disease, criminality, poverty and social disintegration.

We are networking, organizing, and standing up for rights for drug using members of our society. We struggle against discrimination to be regarded with respect and understanding as we deserve.

Drug users are people too!

Harm reduction is a philosophical approach to the maintaining the health of drug users. When the well-being and health of drugs users is maintained, by extension, so too will we see healthier communities in which drug users live. Fundamentally, the basic tenet of harm reduction recognizes the intrinsic value and dignity of all human beings, and in approach harm reduction seeks to maximize social and health assistance, disease prevention and education while minimizing repressive and punitive measures. Harm reduction emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive approach to drug use that addresses the isolation, survival needs and drug use of the user and recognizes the competency of users to make choices and changes in their lives. Ultimately, harm reduction seeks fundamental change of attitude, and its translation through policy to practice throughout society. For the needs of drugs users and the community to be addressed comprehensively, an inclusive harm reduction approach is required.

Needle exchange, methadone maintenance and safe injection sites are all proven harm reduction programs which have saved a great many lives already. We are working to widen the spectrum of harm reduction options available – through education, advocacy and activism. We want to see far more availablity of opiate substitue drugs legally available to addicts through doctors and clinics – methadone, buprenorphine, heroin or morphine-maintenance; still more accessibility to needle exchange programs, safe injection sites, and no more incarceration of users for the drug-related offences. We recognize our sisters and brothers behind bars and what we basic harm reduction prevention and health promotion programs we want implimented in our communities, we want available within prisons too. Drug users should not face a death sentence due to their suffering from health problems; nor should people loose their right to basic health care because they are behind the walls of jails and penitentiaries.

UNDUN seeks to increase and share knowledge compassion, participation, mutual aid and mutual respect, and ultimately, work in coalitions with others who similarly seek policy change oriented toward harm reduction. We believe drug users have earned – through their life experiences – a legitimate place at the table whenever policy is developed and programs are evaluated. We believe that solutions can be found and society engaged in creating them when we work together with positive spirit and mutual respect.