This is Part 1 of a series on the basics of harm reduction.
Harm reduction is a public health approach that reduces the negative consequences of risky behaviors, without necessarily requiring people to stop those behaviors entirely. It’s based on the understanding that many individuals face challenges in their lives that make it difficult to quit harmful behaviors entirely, and that the goal of reducing harm is a more realistic and achievable objective.
Harm reduction can be applied to all potentially harmful behaviors, but most commonly to drug use and sex (including sex work). Here at Tennessee Harm Reduction, we primarily focus on applications specific to drug use.
Our goal is to provide people who use drugs with the information, resources, and support they need to make healthier choices, thereby reducing the potentially negative impact of drug use on their lives, families, and communities.
Examples of harm reduction strategies for drug use include:
- Supplying clean needles and syringes to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs
- Providing overdose prevention education and access to naloxone (NARCAN®), a medication that can reverse opioid overdose
- Offering drug-checking services so that drug consumers know what drugs they’re taking
- Increasing access to a safer supply of drugs — medications for opioid use disorder such as methadone and buprenorphine are one example
Harm reduction offers a compassionate, evidence-based approach to addressing the complex challenges faced by people who use drugs. The principles of harm reduction have been adopted by governments, public health organizations, and harm reduction advocates around the world.
Sadly, the State of Tennessee has been slow to adopt a harm reduction framework as far as drugs are concerned.
This is just a start — there’s much more to learn about harm reduction. In future posts, we’ll delve deeper into specific harm reduction strategies, and explore how they’re making a difference in communities across the Volunteer State.