What is harm reduction?

This blog was kindly contributed by Nolia Lumley, Intern at NeuroSight.

Although the name seems self-explanatory at first, the key principles of harm reduction are not always well understood. Harm Reduction International defines it as ‘specific policies, programmes and practices that aim to reduce the harms with use of controlled/illegal drugs in people unable or unwilling to stop’. Accordingly, harm reduction doesn’t refer to a specific intervention that is “one size fit all”, but it is a “one size fit all” concept that guides the design of various policies and interventions.

Harm reduction understands that drug use is a complex behaviour with many psychological, biological, social and economic factors affecting how and why people use drugs. It also understands that these factors including poverty, class, and past trauma influence people’s vulnerability to addiction and their capacity to deal with drug-related harms. Perhaps most importantly, it accepts that people will choose to use drugs despite drug laws and policies. Harm reduction approaches drug use from a pragmatic perspective, instead of a moral one, and therefore it focuses on reducing the negative consequences of drug use rather than the act of drug use itself.

Like any health decision, using drugs is a personal choice. Harm reduction empowers the individual to make healthier decisions regarding their drug use. Since most harm comes from the way drugs are used, most harm reduction interventions inform individuals on safer ways of using drugs. However, this does not mean that harm reduction condones or encourages drug use. In fact, harm reduction complements abstinence strategies. It communicates that the safest way to take drugs is not to take them at all, while it captures the needs of people who choose to take drugs.

Harm reduction is often associated with interventions relating to the most problematic drug users such as needle exchange programmes. However, harm reduction can be targeted at people who use drugs in very different ways - from people experimenting with drugs for the first time or taking them only occasionally to people who are dependent on drugs. What matters is that people can make informed choices and if they need help they know where they can access it.