Do you think that harm reduction is an important and effective public health measure for reducing the negative consequences of drug abuse? Support your own arguments with information from the chapter

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Answers will vary. Harm reduction strategies help individuals addicted to drugs as well as the population at large. For example, providing fresh needles and bleach to people who inject drugs reduces their risk for HIV and hepatitis B infection, and reduces their likelihood of transmitting such infections to others. These measures also reduce the costs of health care for the population at large. Similarly, providing medications to support withdrawal from heroin helps move individuals out of addiction, while at the same time reducing rates of drug-related robbery and other crime. As individuals recover, they are better able to seek, obtain, and keep a job, and thereby to contribute to the local economy and to the financial and emotional well-being of their families. Moreover, drug treatment reduces the burden of health care, by reducing the need for costly emergency and critical care services for individuals experiencing the medical complications of severe abuse.