Harm reduction is a set of policies, programmes, services and actions that aim to reduce the harms drugs to individuals, communities and society related to drugs. 

The goals of harm reduction activities are related to:

• health promotion (i.e. supporting access to prevention and treatment of infections like HIV or hepatitis,  abscesses, or overdoses, and access to mental health or drug dependency treatment services )

• social issues (i.e. countering social exclusion & stigma, supporting community mobilization)

• justice/security issues (ie. reduction in drug-related crime, decriminalizing drug users, countering discrimination, promoting civil and human rights including the right to health)

• economic issues (ie. alleviating unemployment, loss of workforce, public money squandered on ineffective drug policies)

The principles of harm reduction

• Some level of drug use in society is inevitable and varies according to culture, drug supply, as well as social, economic and other factors.

• Drug use encompasses a continuum of behaviors from severe problematic drug use to total abstinence, and acknowledges that some ways of using are more dangerous than others

• Does not attempt to minimize or ignore the harm and danger associated with drug use

• The largest costs and harms for society and individuals are related to problem drug use (PDU) defined by EMCDDA as “injecting drug use or long duration/regular use of opioids, cocaine and /or amphetamines” which describes a small proportion of all drug users and should be a priority for harm reduction efforts.

• Based on human rights (such as access to health care for all) drug users as an integral part of the society

• Interventions should be pragmatic (based on achievable short-term goals rather than idealistic ones like a drug free world)

• Interventions should be evidence-based

• Individual and community well-being are the criteria for successful interventions and policies rather than only cessation of drug use.

• Interventions should be comprehensive recognizing that various drug-related harms merit various responses

• Interventions should be cost-effective to maximize the benefit from scarce resources.

• Interventions should be client-oriented, attractive for clients and addressing their needs and preferences.

• Drug users should be involved meaningfully in the planning, implementation and evaluation of harm reduction programs and policy.

• Harm reduction affirms drugs users themselves as the primary agents of reducing the harms of their drug use, and seeks to empower users to share information and support each other in strategies which meet their actual conditions of use.

• Calls for the non-judgmental, non-coercive provision of services

• Recognizes that the realities of poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, sex-based discrimination and other social inequalities affect both people's vulnerability to and capacity for effectively dealing with drug-related harm.

Modalities:

The modalities of harm reduction include but are not limited to:

• Overdose prevention and management

• Needle and syringe exchange programs

• Pharmacy-based needle and syringe distribution/exchange

• Condom distribution

• Information, education and communication programs

• Opioid substitution therapy and other types of drug dependency treatment

• Drug user community mobilization

• Safer injecting rooms

• Testing of drug purity and other harm reduction in clubs

• Outreach

• Referrals & case management

• Promotion of treatment literacy & access (HIV, Hepatitis C, TB, Mental health, dependency treatment etc.)

• Promotion of rights literacy and defense of rights

• Vaccination against hepatitis A and B

• Access to primary health and social services

• Services adapted for specific needs of such populations as people in closed settings (including prisoners, sex workers, women, young and underage people, communities of ethnic groups)

• Local, national and international advocacy for evidence based and humane drug and related policies and services