British Columbia is the epicentre of the opioid crisis in North America. Illicit drug toxicity is now one of the top 3 causes of death for adolescents in British Columbia. Evidence informed treatment is available but adolescents rarely receive it. Non-fatal toxicity can provide an opportunity to intervene. Since 2018, paediatricians in British Columbia have been offering admission, involuntary if necessary, to adolescents presenting to hospital after a life-threatening illicit drug toxicity. This brief stay, termed "stabilization care," offers medical and psychiatric assessments, withdrawal management and initiation of opioid agonist therapy and discharge planning. Hospital policies, procedures and protocols were revised to support the unique needs of this population. Early experience with 17 adolescents shows relatively high attachment to treatment services and opioid agonist treatment, suggesting that paediatric interdisciplinary teams, working strategically, can improve care for adolescents in the face of the opioid epidemic.
Keywords: Adolescents; Illicit drug; Opioid epidemic; Opioids; Substance use; Toxicity.
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