Harm Reduction 101

“Harm Reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs.”

- National Harm Reduction Coalition

Harm Reduction does not attempt to minimize or ignore the real and tragic harm and danger that can be associated with illicit drug use.

It accepts, for better or worse, that licit and illicit drug use is a part of our world and chooses to work to minimize its harmful effects rather than simply condemning them.

It calls for the non-judgmental, noncoercive provision of services to people who use drugs and the communities in which they live in order to assist them in reducing harm.

Harm Reduction is the grey area between prevention and treatment. It understands that drug use is a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that encompasses a continuum of behaviors from severe use to total abstinence, and recognizes that where someone is on this continuum varies over time.