The Best Place: Addiction, Intervention, and Living and Dying Young in Vancouver

Vancouver, Canada, is celebrated as a beautiful and livable city, but it also faces public health emergencies, including a drug overdose crisis driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Danya Fast's book explores the politics of place from the perspectives of young people who use drugs, who are often relegated to the margins but are also at the center of city life and state projects.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 246 pages
Publication date: 10 November 2023
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

Vancouver, Canada, is celebrated as one of the world's most beautiful, cosmopolitan, and livable cities in both local and international imaginations. However, the city has also been the site of successive waves of public health emergencies and interventions, including a recent and unprecedented drug overdose crisis driven by the proliferation of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and related analogs in the local drug supply. In her book, The Best Place: Addiction, Intervention, and Living and Dying Young in Vancouver, Danya Fast explores these politics of place from the perspectives of young people who use drugs. These individuals have often been relegated to the social, spatial, and economic margins of the city, but they are also often at the very center of city life and state projects, including the project of protecting life in the context of the current overdose crisis.

Fast's book is a powerful exploration of the ways in which young people navigate the complex social, spatial, and economic landscapes of Vancouver. Through their stories, she sheds light on the ways in which drug use is intertwined with issues of poverty, homelessness, and social exclusion, and how these factors contribute to the overdose crisis. She also highlights the ways in which young people are working to address these issues and create a more just and equitable city.

One of the key themes of Fast's book is the ways in which the city's drug policy and intervention efforts have impacted the lives of young people who use drugs. She argues that these efforts have often been driven by a desire to control and regulate drug use, rather than by a commitment to harm reduction and treatment. This has led to a punitive approach to drug use that has marginalized and stigmatized young people who use drugs, and has failed to address the root causes of addiction.

Fast also explores the ways in which young people are resisting these policies and interventions, and creating alternative spaces and networks for support and healing. She highlights the work of organizations such as the Downtown Eastside Youth Centre and the Drug Users Resource Centre, which provide harm reduction services, peer support, and housing support for young people who use drugs. She also discusses the role of art and culture in creating spaces for resistance and healing, and the ways in which young people are using these spaces to express their identities and challenge the dominant narratives around drug use.

Another important theme of Fast's book is the impact of the overdose crisis on young people's lives and communities. She argues that the crisis has created a sense of urgency and crisis in the city, and has led to a renewed focus on addressing the root causes of addiction and preventing overdose deaths. However, she also notes that this focus has often been driven by a desire to control and regulate drug use, rather than by a commitment to harm reduction and treatment.

Fast's book is a powerful and important contribution to the literature on drug policy, addiction, and intervention. It provides a nuanced and empathetic understanding of the experiences of young people who use drugs, and the challenges they face in navigating the social, spatial, and economic landscapes of Vancouver. Through her stories, Fast highlights the ways in which young people are working to create a more just and equitable city, and the ways in which the overdose crisis is shaping their lives and communities.

In conclusion, The Best Place: Addiction, Intervention, and Living and Dying Young in Vancouver is a powerful and important book that explores the politics of place from the perspectives of young people who use drugs. Through their stories, Fast sheds light on the ways in which drug use is intertwined with issues of poverty, homelessness, and social exclusion, and how these factors contribute to the overdose crisis. She also highlights the ways in which young people are resisting these policies and interventions, and creating alternative spaces and networks for support and healing. The book is a valuable contribution to the literature on drug policy, addiction, and intervention, and provides a nuanced and empathetic understanding of the experiences of young people who use drugs.

Weight: 54g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978834880