When Harm Reduction Is Easy and Enjoyable, It’s More Effective
March 28, 2025 by filtermag.org
When Harm Reduction Is Easy and Enjoyable, It’s More Effective
Living on the streets during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the narrator faced challenges with injecting meth, sharing needles, and preventing transmission. Access to sterile equipment in 1992 improved harm reduction efforts. Prioritizing easy, enjoyable harm reduction methods, such as using new rigs or flavored vapes, can save lives. Offering accessible resources, like flavored nicotine products and harm reduction centers, can effectively reduce risks. The importance of supporting safer choices, such as managing substance use through pleasurable adjustments, is highlighted. Emphasizing convenience and pleasure in harm reduction strategies can lead to better outcomes, as seen with snus uptake in Sweden. The need for accessible harm reduction resources, like methadone, is crucial to reduce drug-related harms and save lives.