What are some examples of harm reduction?


Harm reduction strategies can include:

  • Not driving if you plan on drinking alcohol or using drugs.

  • Using plastic cups to serve alcohol.

  • Switching from high alcohol content drinks to low alcohol content drinks.

  • Staying away from waterways and beaches if you plan on drinking alcohol, to reduce the risk of drowning.

  • Creating supervised settings for people who inject drugs, so they can be revived if they overdose or receive information about local treatment options, including referral.

  • Distributing sterile injecting equipment to reduce the spread of blood-borne viruses like HIV and Hepatitis C.

  • Consuming nicotine in the form of gum and patches instead of smoking cigarettes.

  • Making sure you know where to get help before you consume drugs, in case something goes wrong.

  • Ensuring you know what drugs you're taking and whether the combination of drugs you're planning to use could be dangerous.

  • Avoiding drugs that might interact with other medications prescribed by your doctor. A large number of fatal overdoses are caused by people taking a combination of prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Your Room > FAQ > What are some examples of harm reduction?