a long post about harm reduction <3
disclaimer: this is from the perspective of an addict living in the US!
harm reduction is more than naloxone (Narcan, the opioid overdose antidote), clean needles, needle disposals, and medication assisted treatment (MAT). these are all marvelous life-saving developments, but they are quite frankly the bare minimum when it comes to keeping people who use drugs alive. and unfortunately, they're still under attack.
but for those who do support harm reduction but either don't know much about it, or don't know where to start learning about it - i want to share some other harm reduction practices & supplies, and my favorite related resources!
ways to use more safely, by yourself things that have to do with real, physical substances
Never Use Alone Hotline (US) - a peer-ran hotline where people who are using drugs alone or with untrusted/unsafe people can stay on the line, vent, chat, or ask questions. if the caller becomes unresponsive, the hotline calls EMS. Fentanyl & nitazene test strips - (nitazenes are an even more potent class of opioids. please get BOTH fent and zene tests) Reagent kits - (these are to identify substances! very helpful since what you're told you're getting is often not what you get at all) safes & child-proof containers - (prevents children & pets from getting into stashes and overdosing) Microgram scales - (can measure very small doses for potent substances such as fentanyl, nitazenes, and LSD) Pipettes, beakers, & test tubes - (can measure very small doses by volume, if the amount of the substance is already known) Dexcalc - (a website to calculate how much DXM you can take to achieve or avoid certain effects; helps pevent overdose) National Harm Reduction Coalitions' Safer Injecting resources
knowledge is power the more people who use drugs know, the better they can make informed decisions and protect themselves!
Psychonaut Wiki - (pretty much wikipedia for drugs) Psychonaut Journal - (an app for tracking one's substance intake) Tripsit - (a harm reduction organization that sells test kits, connects users with free Narcan sources, provides drug interaction checkers, has its own discord community, & more!) Erowid - (a digital library where you can find a wealth of information on substances, proper procedures, self-reported experiences of other users, legal issues, history, & more!) The Drug User's Bible - (a book containing the research and experiences of the author. He self-administered over 180 substances w/the objective "to provide, without fear or compromise, core and critical information to support the health, welfare and well-being of the 250 million people in the world who use drugs.") Narcan Trainings - (teaches anyone, drug user or not, how to identify an overdose, administer Narcan, and inform the person who overdosed about what happened. they often supply attendees with a Narcan kit) In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Dr. Gabor Mate - (explores the political, social, economic, and personal predispositions underlying substance abuse; a compassionate look at addiction) Wound care & infection warning signs - (I do not have the spoons to find the resource on this one, I apologize; but it is very important!!)
community & society based things that have been implemented, or are being advocated for, to improve addicted people's quality of life & fulfill their human rights
Supervised Injection Sites - (places where people who use drugs by IV, IM, or subcutaneous injection can do so under supervision of medical staff, in a sterile and safe environment. if anyone overdoses, staff are there to reverse the overdose: this has been so effective to the point that, the main clinic i learned about, successfully reversed over 100 overdoses. no one died!) Social safety nets - (free/low cost housing, financial aid, free/low cost healthcare, etc) - (allows people who use drugs to meet their basic needs, reducing their level of stress & isolation from the rest of society. this reduction in suffering can help people stop or reduce their use!) Recovery-based social centers - (organizations that provide educational and recreational activities for drug users and their families/friends: this is so they can connect with people like them & make informed decisions, all in a safe & drug-free environment) Decriminalization, legalization, & pardons - (systemically de-stigmatizes drug use and reduces the amount of trauma and dis-empowerment people who use drugs face; this overall allows them to lead more fulfilling lives, be part of their communities, and focus on improving their health instead of surviving institutions) Antipsychiatry & Prison abolition - (going to stay in my lane here: many people who use drugs find themselves in rehabs, hospitals, psych wards, group homes, or other institutions. these institutions, despite their claims or what good does come out of some, can be similar to prison & jail in that they disenfranchise, disconnect, and retraumatize drug users) Don't Call The Police - a collection of hotlines for when you need serious, urgent, or emergency help, but don't want the cops involved.
self-management of opioid use disorder or chronic pain this section will be under the cut as it refers to a legal substance people have used to taper off of street/prescribed opioids.
