Intersections between the harm reduction and feminist antiviolence movements a couple of weeks ago, katrina pacey and i had the opportunity to present a workshop on harm reduction to group of about 25 women working in transition houses around the province. Challenges to the adoption of harm reduction policies date and time of workshop. This is associated with greater increasing injecting frequency, and increased risk of blood borne virus transmission. This is a concern in view of the widespread usage of these drugs, particularly in the elderly.
Harm reduction does not try to change the behavior of those who have an addiction or try to get them to stop using harmful substances. The first step in harm reduction is to provide accurate information about the consequences and risks of drug use and promote behaviours that reduce risk. Harm reduction supplies buy at total access group including. Harm reduction does not enable drug use or high risk behaviors. After all, even the purest cocaine carries the risk of overdose, triggering mental illness, dangerous cardiac and neurological consequences, and unpleasant cocaine withdrawal symptoms. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours.
Safe n sound homelessness initiative out of the cold initiative 4. A comprehensive harm reduction program to educate the community about safer drug use, fight the spread of infectious disease, and provide drug treatment enrollment. Harm reduction is an approach to counseling that emphasizes the importance of reducing harm in an individuals life. Harm reduction is a set of policies, programmes, services and actions that aim to reduce the harm to individuals, communities and society related to drugs, including hiv infection. Probable wound botulism in a person who uses injection drugs in king county. Dancesafe is the oldest and largest harm reduction nonprofit in the world. Harm reduction, rather than quantities of drugs seized or individuals convicted, is a more useful way of prioritising activities to improve the lives of citizens in the uk extending our reach, hm government 2009 although entrenched markets may be difficult to disable, they can be guided by enforcement action so that they do the least. Crack booklet the crack booklet is a comprehensive resource designed to inform crack users particularly injectors about the risks of crack cocaine use, and how to reduce them. Jan 15, 2014 participation and social inclusion of people who use substances in harm reduction responses are important principles of harm reduction. Safer crack smoking catie canadas source for hiv and. Download the the opiate resource pocket guide for a more comprehensive book of community resources for opiate addiction treatment and recovery. Crack cocaine use has increased rapidly throughout mexico, coinciding with rising hiv and hcv infections among vulnerable groups.
Although there is no definitive definition of harm reduction, harm reduction is easily described as reducing harm of a risky behavior. Choose from a wide variety of label sizes, product content, bag size and type. Harm reduction resources for health care providers training and presentations health advisory 10917. However, mexico has yet to adopt these techniques for crack users. Harm reduction, or harm minimization, is a range of public health policies designed to lessen the negative social andor physical consequences associated with various human behaviors, both legal and illegal. Harm reduction services for men who have sex with men who useinject drugs. The harm reduction information that follows is offered as a public health service. Experts laud harm reduction kits which include crack. This session conducted with the menahra knowledge hubs will outline how to advocate for harm reduction, undertaking an assessment for.
Harm reduction encompasses a range of health and social services and practices that apply to illicit and licit drugs. This page collects and summarizes both strategies for safer drinking and strategies for reduced drinking. The crack booklet is a comprehensive resource designed to inform crack users particularly injectors about the risks of crack cocaine use, and how to reduce them. Within an overall philosophy of harm reduction, there is a wide range of evidence based harm reductions strategies that reduce the harms of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine and crack. Harm reduction does not condone, endorse, or encourage drug use. A framework for a harm reduction approach to drugrelated. Harm reduction coalition is a national advocacy and capacitybuilding organization that works to promote the health and dignity of individuals and communities who are impacted by drug use.
This includes the idea that others should accept, for better or worse, that a person uses drugs and help them take steps to reduce the risks of harm. The usa has led the world in developing some aspects of harm reduction, e. For more information and training resources on harm. Frequently asked questions humboldt area center for harm. Some harm reduction agencies and public health units have taken the lead in putting together and distributing kits that contain the materials needed to make smoking crack safer.
Harm reduction is a set of policies and practices intended to reduce the negative effects of drug and alcohol use. But harm reduction practices are used for other substances too, including ecstasy. The best cocaine tip is to cut out the white stuff completely. This section is copied from human rights watchs article. There is also significant potential for increasing injecting site damage, vein damage and infections the harm reduction works campaign resources. From safer sex to safer drug use, harm reduction includes practical strategies that can reduce the negative consequences of behaviors. The guiding principles of harm reduction the history of harm reduction within vancouver and globally it is important to acknowledge that harm reduction is not a new concept. Ive always had a special place in my heart for this newsletter, having learned so much from reading it over the years. A harm reduction program should empower youth by offering a support system that allows youth enough control to make their own positive decisions and then space to safely see the outcomes of these decisions. Harm reduction is a proactive approach to reducing the damage done by alcohol, drugs, and other addictive behaviors, as well as addressing broader health and social issues, such as hiv transmission. Harmreduction program optimizes hivaids prevention, ucsf. These teens are taking a class on drugs that is definitely. Harm reduction isnt explicitly a pathway of recovery although some do identify that way it is however, a health strategy aimed toward reducing the harm associated with drug use.
Harm reduction has a very complex history in the usa. While some people with addiction successfully manage their condition, others dont always have the resources, the support, or even the desire to seek treatment and enter recovery. Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing the public health risks associated with drug use. All the harm reduction works campaign materials are available from exchange supplies. For free pdf download of this publication, click here. This guide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Products for safer drug use ohrdp coordinates the distribution of harm reduction supplies to needle syringe programs through a licensed distributor, providing sterile, singleuse equipment with product information sheets to help prevent disease transmission and reduce the potential health risks associated with drug use.
It has notand it shouldnt and probably never willsupplant the treatment of total abstinence, but, as with treatments for other disorders like depression, rage and even schizophrenia, the idea that there is a. The harm reduction panel spoke about strategies for reducing communicable diseases. A twopage survey tool was developed with extensive input from stakeholders and. General harm reduction strategies education strategies.
Harm reduction is key in the prevention of hiv infection among people. Antibiotic ointment information taken directly from guide to developing and managing syringe access programs by harm reduction coalition, 2010 antibacterial ointment can be helpful in addressing concerns related to minor skin andor injectionrelated infections and increase healing time. A qualitativequantitative operational research involving key stakeholders and beneficiaries in lebanon, morocco, tunisia and pakistan. A the downtown eastside area where the clinic is based was considered by thea canadian community. Order details all the harm reduction works campaign materials are available from exchange. Harm reduction at sistering, a womens dropin in downtown toronto, has many faces and stories. As such, it recognizes that a strict 12 step or disease model doesnt apply meaningfully to all people. Harm reduction therapy works because it is clientcentered, intelligent, compassionate and flexible. Harm reduction stands apart from drug abuse resistance education, d. Youth is a key developmental window for the formation of an individuals skills, competencies and identity. That being said, if you choose to use cocaine or you cant stop right now, then make use of harm reduction strategies to reduce the potential damage and stay safe to live and play and maybe even quit another day. Crack appears as rocks of yellowish offwhite with the consistency of wax. Fully customized harm reduction kits assembled to your specifications.
Its purpose is not to encourage or condone the use or possession of illegal drugs. Due to the increased risk of infection among crack users, harm reduction approaches have been identified to reduce the spread of disease. The first legal injection site in north america was insite in vancouver, b. While many organizations focus on putting a stop to all drug use, those built around the principles of harm reduction take a different tack, seeking instead to effect wholesale change through policies and programs that acknowledge the drug use while reducing the harms that are associated with it, at both the individual and the public health levels. Harm reduction is a way of preventing disease and promoting health that meets people where they are rather than making judgments about where.
Educational materials harm reduction action center. Harm reduction is all about meeting people where they are, addressing their health conditions without judgement, along with the context and the behaviors themselves. It seems as though this is the case because the puritanical model views any drugalcohol use as the worst thing possibleworse even than death or murder. Harm reduction is the principle of meeting a person struggling with addiction where they currently are. Harm reduction is a concept that was introduced to social issues dating back to the 1980s as a way to address the hiv epidemic.
Harm reduction can be a moral imperative to approach these persons. Cocaine isnt good for you, there is no safe way to take cocaine or crack, and youd probably benefit from quitting your habit. Harm reduction is the strategy, policy, and philosophy of reducing risk and thus the morbidity and mortality associated with an action or condition. What is the difference between harm reduction therapy and abstinence. Harm reduction does not exclude or dismiss abstinencebased treatment models as viable options. Widely known examples are needle and syringe exchange programs and opioid substitution therapy for intravenous drug. Collection of videos and short films related to harm reduction and needle exchange. Current problems with harm reduction and future direction.
Harm reduction is based on humane, rational, and evidence based models of therapy. It is also an opportunity to connect more drug users with harm reduction programs and other health and social services. Sometimes, these are people who would otherwise never approach a program or agency. It can also be considered a theory, orientation or philosophy, so there are several orientations or ways of doing therapy that incorporate harm reduction.
Serving as chief medical officer at harm reduction therapeutics, judy is responsible for the strategy, direction and execution of the companys clinical development plans. Nov 17, 2010 drink driving legislation is also harm reduction, as is smokeless tobaccos. Harm reduction acknowledges that people should not need to stop. It is smoked in a variety of fashions, with a pipe there are a wide range of homemade and designer models, by smoking on foil or in a rollup crack spliff by mixing with tobacco and sometimes cannabis. The journal of clinical psychology defines harm reduction as an umbrella term for interventions aiming to reduce the problematic effects of behaviors. Harm reduction is key in the prevention of hiv infection among people who inject drugs pwids and their sexual partners. Harm reduction resources for health care providers king county. Homelessness and harm reduction pubmed central pmc.
Harm reduction is the practice of making drug use safer for people who choose to use. Harm reduction programs exist for several types of drugs, including opioids, alcohol, stimulants, ecstasy, and marijuana. Who we help we work with anyone with an alcohol or substance misuse problem and anyone who cares for them, personally or professionally. Harm reduction calls for the nonjudgmental, noncoercive provision of services and resources to people who use drugs, and the communities in which they live, in order to assist them in reducing harm. We know what to do, harm reduction and human rights in north carolina, with permission by human rights watch. Allow weeks aro and artwork approval if applicable to ship to you. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships among users, health care providers, relatives, and society regarding harm reduction in mental health care, using a trust approach rooted in feminist ethics. Harm reduction has also been used in primary and secondary prevention programs aimed at reducing unintended pregnancies.
Harm reduction therapy and abstinence are very different forms of addiction treatment. Challenges to the adoption of harm reduction policies workshop content. Definition for harm reduction everyday examples of harm reductions interventions. Harm reduction at the end of this section, you will be able to explain. Distribution of safer cracksmoking kits reduces the risk that people will share pipes or use broken ones. How harm reduction is defined and how it has developed over the past twentyfive years, the importance of harm reduction in relation to drugs and addiction, what the problems and limitations associated with harm reduction are, what the benefits and advantages associated with harm reduction are and what future direction harm reduction should go in. Let us help you create the kit that works in your program. Hrpub3 order details all the harm reduction works campaign materials are available from exchange supplies to order online. Harm reduction is an approach to treating those with alcohol and other substanceuse problems that does not require patients to commit to complete abstinence before.
Detox local does not condone, support, or promote the use of drugs or alcohol. Harm reduction is grounded in justice and human rights it focuses on positive change and on working with people without judgement, coercion, discrimination, or requiring that they stop using drugs as a precondition of support. People should pick and implement the strategies which fit their personal drinking goalwhether one. They range from needle exchange sites to managed alcohol programs to drugtesting kits at music festivals. On this site you will find links to their reagent test kits, including discount combination testing kits as well as their fentanyl test strips. Abstinence involves cutting out drink or drugs completely and encouraging an individual to adapt to a drug or alcoholfree life, often with the support of therapists and medical professionals. It is truly an honor to be a part of relaunching harm reduction communication. Buy harm reduction supplies at total access group include sharps containers, fitpack, syringe exchange supplies, personal hygiene items, custom kits, harm reduction kits, and safer sex kits to promote hivstd prevention and reduce drug use consequences. Harm reduction calls for the nonjudgmental, noncoercive provision of services and resources to people who use drugs, and the communities in which they live. One of the most established organizations that advocates for harm reduction is the harm reduction coalition, formed in 1993 by a working group of needle. Harm reduction policies are used to manage behaviors such as recreational drug use and sexual activity in numerous settings that range from services through to geographical. Harm reduction is an evidencebased, clientcentred approach that seeks to reduce the health and social harms associated with addiction and substance use, without necessarily requiring people who use substances from abstaining or stopping. Harm reduction and tensions in trust and distrust in a mental. Hrc advocates for behavioral health samhsa substance.
Most of the time, harm reduction is aimed at alcohol and opiate use. Harm reduction should focus on choice of alternative treatments both psychological and pharmacological. Harm reduction, simply put, is an approach that aims to reduce the harmful effects of addictive behavior. Jan 03, 2006 nonetheless, this novel study is a tantalizing demonstration of the feasibility and potential value of a pioneering harm reduction program for this difficulttoserve population. The british columbia harm reduction strategies and services hrss committee provides the structure to facilitate coordination between the ministry of health, phsa, the first nations health authority and the five regional health authorities, and other key stakeholders in work related to harm reduction in bc. Rather than respond with condemnation or enforcement, harm reduction focuses on minimizing the harmful effects of mental illness and addiction, both on the individual and on society. The injecting of crack, and injecting crack in combination with heroin known as speedballing or snowballing has been increasing.
Farsalinos, in analytical assessment of ecigarettes, 2017. It focuses on reducing the harm of drug use to the user and society rather than requiring abstinence as a condition of treatment. People seeking care for substance use pscsu experience deep social and health inequities. Intersections between the harm reduction and feminist anti. This sub is a harm reduction sub for crack cocaine users. Nov 24, 2015 cocaine isnt good for you, there is no safe way to take cocaine or crack, and youd probably benefit from quitting your habit. Crack is a form of cocaine that delivers an immediate, powerful euphoric effect. This site is a personal project of two harm reduction advocates and, as im sure youve worked out, this is a big project with over 250 quotes or tips a year to find. Harm reduction, enabling, and codependency the alcohol harm. Harm reduction is increasingly accepted among researchers and many clinicians as a legitimate approach to treating substance abuse. Conceptualising and debating sexwork harm reduction as a new paradigm can hasten this process. So, if you know of a quote or tip that we should use please let us know, well consider anything from leaflet content, sections of reports and research, quotes from youtube videos, even quotes from ancient philosophers both of. The harm reduction strategies and services hrss committee implemented a survey at harm reduction sites across bc to determine drug use trends outside of vancouver and victoria where there is little research. The first controls of drug possession were introduced in the first world war, and in the dangerous drugs act of 1920.
This video explains what harm reduction is and how it benefits people who use drugs, as well as their families and communities. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Crack booklet the crack booklet is a comprehensive resource designed to inform crack users particularly injectors about the risks of crack cocaine use, and how to reduce them for free pdf download of this publication, click here. Apr 18, 2014 harm reduction is a public health philosophy and strategy designed to reduce the harmful consequences of various, sometimes illegal, human behaviors such as the use of alcohol and other drugs regardless of whether a person is willing or able to cease that behavior.
All harm reduction strategies or measures should be in line with the provisions of international drug control treaties. Harm reduction, in essence, refers to policies, programs and practices that aim to reduce the harms associated with the use of psychoactive drugs without necessarily requiring the cessation of use. In recent years, harm reduction strategies have perhaps been most prominent in initiatives for injection drug users. They have been selling drug checking kits since 1998. Harm reduction is an approach used to prevent harm while not eliminating the behavior of drug use. New haven public health officials and legal experts said friday that providing people battling substance use disorders with harm reduction kits, including clean glass pipes to use crack cocaine, is sound policy that will help save lives, despite some criticism of the idea. This page gives a succinct summary of the most effective ways to reduce the harms in your life caused by drinking alcohol, i. The term harm reduction can be used to describe the philosophical beliefs that underlie strategies and programs, or it can be used to describe the. Harm reduction is now used amongst a variety of health professionals and lobbyists. Sep 20, 2008 the harm reduction model views any increase in harm to anyone as enabling, since this enables harm to come to people. The purpose of this guide is to promote harm reduction and awareness of harm reduction methods. Harm reduction challenges the traditional notion of abstinence as a universal treatment goal for problem substance use.