Harm Reduction
WHAT IS HARM REDUCTION?
Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies intended to reduce the negative consequences of high risk behavior such as over drinking or drug abuse.
Harm reduction is a non judgmental approach that attempts to meet people where they are at with their drinking or drug abuse. Instead of demanding perfect abstinence, this pragmatic approach is supportive of anyone who wishes to minimize the harm associated with a high risk behavior such as drinking or drug abuse. Harm reduction accepts that high risk behaviors such as recreational alcohol intoxication or part of world and works to minimize their harmful effects rather than simply ignore or condemn them. Harm reduction does not attempt to force people to change in ways which they don’t choose for themselves. Harm reduction is a compassionate approach whose primary concern is the increased well-being of its constituency.
Harm reduction works on the premise that it is easier to get people to make small changes than to get them make big changes. Because of this it is possible to have a far greater positive change than getting only a few people to make big changes. It is easier and far more effective to get people to use seat belts than to eliminate auto-mobile and driving entirely. And it is easier and more effective to teach people how to plan their drinking and drink safely than to try and eliminate recreational intoxication entirely. Prohibition and coerce abstinence do not work, harm reduction does.
WHY SHOULD HARM REDUCTION APPROACHES BE IMPLEMENTD?
The main reason that harm reduction approaches should be implemented is that these strategies save lives and diminish the likelihood of drug use problems for the individual, their families and the surrounding community. 1. Liver problems: related to the user’s physical or psychological health such as cirrhosis, cancer, overdose, psychiatric, psychological or emotional problems (amnesia, depression.paranoma, etc) accidents or
Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies intended to reduce the negative consequences of high risk behavior such as over drinking or drug abuse.
Harm reduction is a non judgmental approach that attempts to meet people where they are at with their drinking or drug abuse. Instead of demanding perfect abstinence, this pragmatic approach is supportive of anyone who wishes to minimize the harm associated with a high risk behavior such as drinking or drug abuse. Harm reduction accepts that high risk behaviors such as recreational alcohol intoxication or part of world and works to minimize their harmful effects rather than simply ignore or condemn them. Harm reduction does not attempt to force people to change in ways which they don’t choose for themselves. Harm reduction is a compassionate approach whose primary concern is the increased well-being of its constituency.
Harm reduction works on the premise that it is easier to get people to make small changes than to get them make big changes. Because of this it is possible to have a far greater positive change than getting only a few people to make big changes. It is easier and far more effective to get people to use seat belts than to eliminate auto-mobile and driving entirely. And it is easier and more effective to teach people how to plan their drinking and drink safely than to try and eliminate recreational intoxication entirely. Prohibition and coerce abstinence do not work, harm reduction does.
WHY SHOULD HARM REDUCTION APPROACHES BE IMPLEMENTD?
The main reason that harm reduction approaches should be implemented is that these strategies save lives and diminish the likelihood of drug use problems for the individual, their families and the surrounding community. 1. Liver problems: related to the user’s physical or psychological health such as cirrhosis, cancer, overdose, psychiatric, psychological or emotional problems (amnesia, depression.paranoma, etc) accidents or
Bibliography: 1. Mac Master, S. (2004). Harm Reduction: a new perspective on substance abuse services. Social Work. v49 i3 p356. 2. Reinarman, C. and Levine H. (1997). Crack in America: Demon Drugs and Social Justice. University of California Press. Ch 10, 17. 3. Smith, A. (2001). America 's Lonely Drug War. Mother Jones, United Kingdom, London page 41-45 4. Does harm reduction programming make a difference in the lives of highly marginalized, at-risk drug users? (2004). Academy of Educational Development. Retrieved May 4th 2006 from Harm Reduction Journal at http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/1/1/7 5. Kaplin, S. (1994). The Effects Of Harm Reduction Vs Harm Prevention: An International Assessment. Retrieved May 4th 2006 from Sarnia Online at http://www.sarnia.com 6. Clemency Mitchell, 2003 vibrant health in the twenty first century, England page 87-91 7. D.N Marshall 2009, A guide to family Health Grantham ,England page 29-63,