After almost 40 years of substance use and rounds of homelessness and living on the street, Alfred Andrew is now sober and working to help others who are struggling as he once did. Alfred lives in Campbell River on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He now works in front-line support for people who are struggling as he once struggled, at the Campbell River sobering centre and at a men’s recovery house.
Alfred Andrew shared his story for a People First Radio broadcast.
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While estimates of alcohol and drug use rates among homeless Canadians vary considerably, there is agreement among experts that homeless people have much higher rates of substance use than the general population.
At the same time, the number of people without adequate and secure housing among those who experience problems from substance use is high as well.
Most of the current evidence about the relationship between homelessness and substance use indicates that problem substance use may be a direct pathway to homelessness.
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