When in a drug epidemic should the policy objective switch from use reduction to harm reduction?

Optimal Timing of Use vs. Harm Reduction in an SA Model of Drug Epidemics

A debate in drug policy rankles between proponents of use reduction and harm reduction. We present a stylized two-state, one-control dynamic optimization model of this choice based on a social cost related definition of harm reduction, and parameterize it both for cocaine in the U.S. and for Australia's population of injection drug users. Static analysis of a binary choice between pure harm red...

Addressing the Needs of Sexual Partners of People Who Inject Drugs through Peer Prevention Programs in Iran

Despite the fact that HIV epidemic is mainly driven by injection drug use in Iran, partners of People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) have been seriously neglected in terms of effective preventive interventions. Currently, sexual partners of PWID might have access to some harm reduction services at Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centers; however, their needs have not been effectively targeted ...

On interaction of supply countermeasures and treatment actions (and harm reduction) of addiction

Addiction and substance abuse among people scourge is known, is now one of the major concerns of human society has become. All scholars and addiction experts  agree on this point that addiction should be said one of the most obvious problems of biological, psychological and social. Also, The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of supply countermeasures and treatment (and harm r...

A Plea for Harm Reduction Policing Involving People Who Use Drugs

Setting goals for drug policy: harm reduction or use reduction?

Historically, United States drug policy has focused on use reduction; harm reduction is a prominent alternative. This paper aims to provoke and inform more debate about the relative merits of these two. Since harm is not necessarily proportional to use, use reduction and harm reduction differ. Both terms are somewhat ambiguous; precisely defining them clarifies thinking and policy implications....