Opinion on harm reduction strategies
Harm reduction is a health approach aiming at reducing harms resulting from substance use. Harm reduction consists of many techniques and methods. According to Dale-Perera, (2017), harm reduction strategies include abstinence or refraining from substance use. Strategies for harm reduction lessen the consequences related to substance use. Such effects include spiritual issues, emotional and physical effects. In addition, harm reduction enables good treatment and creates a healthy relationship among communities and people in a society.
Several services exist for the prevention of harm from substance use. These services include the supply of needle recovery programs, provision of supervised injections and overdose prevention services, the presence of mental wellness and treatment centers, outreach and support programs. All these strategies and services play a significant part in preventing and reducing harm for people recovering from substance abuse. However, my opinion is that members should employ these strategies under directions from experienced personnel who guide and supervise harm reduction actions to avoid misinterpretations and mistakes.
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Evidence for and against harm reduction
Harm reduction obtained through various strategies is a concept that helps many cope with drug abuse and substance addiction. According to Dale-Perera, (2017), harm reduction helps reduce psychological, emotional, and physical problems in the affected person. On the other hand, Stone (2018) argues that harm reduction evidence is overwhelming as these strategies are affordable, aid in maintaining a healthy population, and safer communities. However, critiques follow harm reduction based on its ability to treat vulnerability to drug use, moral degradation, and its actions against human rights. Harm reduction methods primarily focus on reducing the adverse effects of substance abuse neglecting morals and vulnerability of such people to drug use. Other scholars such as Karissa (2018) argue that harm reduction strategies such as needle sharing may also result in the spread of HIV and AIDS.
Benefits and potential costs
Harm reduction avails benefits such as increased knowledge on safer use of substances, improved safety on prevention and safe sexual health, reduced stigma, and increased health services access. Lastly, it increases support for local support programs and groups. However, costs associated with harm reduction vary depending on the strategy a person utilizes. For example, an approach such as abstinence is cheap and affordable to everyone, while other methods such as the application of needles may be expensive to manage.
Equitability and accessibility
Prevention services and recovery programs are arguably inaccessible to all cultural populations as there is discrimination between the poor and the rich. As a result, prevention and recovery programs tend to exist more in areas with higher wealthy backgrounds than the low-income areas. On the other hand, the equitability of drug policies and laws tends to follow a similar suit in that those with low incomes are pressed more by these laws and procedures than the wealthy population.
References
Dale-Perera, A. (2017). Recovery, reintegration, abstinence, harm reduction: The role of different goals within drug treatment in the European context. Lisbon: EMCDDA . PP.1-17
Karissa, H. (2018). Harm reduction interventions in substance abuse treatment. Available at https://theacademy.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Research-Summary_Harm-Reduction-in-Substance-Abuse-Treatment_April-2018_Final.pdf
Stone, K. (14 th December 2018). The overwhelming evidence in favor of harm reduction. Available at https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/overwhelming-evidence-favor-harm-reduction
