Harm Reduction 

Overview

Although measures that focus on reducing the consequences of use rather than use itself have been in place for many years (e.g., drinking and driving countermeasures), harm reduction is really rooted in measures taken to reduce the spread of HIV among injection drug users in the 1980s. The term "harm reduction" has become controversial in part because some people equate it with advocating for legalization of all drugs. The most commonly accepted definition of harm reduction is "measures taken to address drug problems that are open to outcomes other than abstinence or cessation of use." CCSA's founding director of policy and research, Eric Single, has proposed an empirical definition of harm reduction that would require a harm reduction policy or measure to actually demonstrate that it has reduced harm.   

Read entire overview

Selected Readings

Harm reduction: evidence, impacts and challenges [PDF]
European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), 2010

G. Alan Marlatt and Katie Witkiewitz (2010) Update on Harm-Reduction Policy and Intervention Research.
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology v.6 (April 2010) p.591-606

Special issue: Commentaries on Harm Reduction: Looking Back, Looking Forwards.
International Journal of Drug Policy v.21 no.2 (March 2010) p.91-144

Discussion Forum: Supervised Injection Site Evaluative Research - Forum Summary Report [PDF]
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), March 2009

Vancouver's INSITE service and other Supervised injection sites: What has been learned from research? Final report of the Expert Advisory Committee
Health Canada, 2008

Lessons Learned from The Score Project:
A document to support outreach and education related to safer crack use
Nursing and Health Behaviour Research Unit/NEXUS, University of British Columbia, June 2008


“I inject less as I have easier access to pipes” Injecting, and sharing of crack-smoking materials, decline as safer crack-smoking resources are distributed
International Journal of Drug Policy, 19(3): 255-264, 2008 

Harm Reduction: What’s in a Name? [PDF]
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), May 2008

Harm Reduction Policies and Programs for Persons of Aboriginal Descent [PDF]
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), June 2007

Shelter-based Managed Alcohol Administration to Chronically Homeless People Addicted to Alcohol
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), 174(1): 45-49, 2006

Harm Reduction Policies and Programs for Youth [PDF]
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), August 2006

Harm Reduction Policies and Programs for Persons Involved in the Criminal Justice System [PDF]
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), May 2005

Reducing Drug Related Harms to Health: An Overview of the Global Evidence: Report 4  [PDF]
Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme (BFDPP), 2004

Related Resources

Global Commission on Drug Policy Report

Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines for Canada (LRCUG):
A Narrative Review of Evidence and Recommendations

A review of the efficacy and effectiveness of harm reduction strategies for alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs

L'AITQ's harm reduction web site (This website is available in French only)

Harm Reduction Journal

International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) 

North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI)

Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU)