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10.7 Harm Reduction Benefits

Some Benefits of Harm Reduction Programs Include:

  • Increased referrals and improve access to support programs, as well as health and social services.
  • Reduced substance use in public spaces.
  • Reduced stigma and increase access to health and social services.
  • Reduced sharing of substance use equipment.
  • Reduced blood borne illnesses such as HIV and Hepatitis C.
  • Reduced toxic poisoning-related (overdose) deaths and other early deaths among PWUS and people experiencing SUDs.
  • Increased knowledge around safer substance use.
  • Increased knowledge around safer sex, sexual health and increase condom use.
  • Improved health of PWUS and people experiencing SUDs.
  • Reduced health care system costs.
  • Reduced criminal justice system costs.

(CAMH, 2019; Understanding Harm Reduction, 2020).

 

Photo of a safe injection kit from Insite Supervised Injection Site in Vancouver, BC. The kit includes a thick medical rubber band, sterile needle syringe, a rubbing alcohol prep pad, and a pipette. These items are in a disposable cardboard plate. Outside the plate is a small metal spoon for melting drugs and a matchbook with "insite" and phone number on it.
Safe Injection Kit.

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10.7 Harm Reduction Benefits Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline Lewis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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