Dan Reist has provided leadership to the knowledge exchange team at the Centre for Addictions Research of BC, University of Victoria since it was created in 2004. He is committed to communicating current evidence in a way that supports the evolution of effective policy and practice, has contributed to policy dialogues in British Columbia related to substance use and addictive behaviours, and has represented BC in several national and international discussions. He is convinced that the substance use field needs to be much broader than traditionally defined and has helped develop BC’s multi-systems approach to substance use. He champions the careful use of language to describe substance use and its related risks and problems, and seeks to bridge the ideological divides and professional barriers that have too often undermined effective responses. His interests include phenomenological and socio-linguistic approaches to understanding substance use, health promotion, mental health literacy, knowledge exchange, and alcohol and other drug policy.
Dan is actively involved in helping schools, families and communities effectively address substance use from a health promotion perspective. His team is involved in assessing evidence, developing tools to increase critical mental health literacy and healthy public policy, supporting implementation, and facilitating collaboration.
Lacking artistic talent, Dan has discovered that by partnering with nature he can help create beauty in the garden. He also treasures time interacting with family and friends and, in particular, his grandson who continues to teach him many things.