Summary

This week we have explored the philosophy of harm reduction in the context of some well-known harm reduction programs. We also considered how the philosophy of harm reduction could be applied to the provision of brief interventions.

As stated at the outset, the concept of harm reduction can be hard to grasp. The strategies associated with this concept often seem contradictory to our legal system. Yet, as demonstrated this week, many of these are very effective. They often target a specific group, whose needs are not met elsewhere, and the outcomes do reduce harm.

We hope that you found this week ‘eye-opening’. If you found it challenging, we do hope that you leave with a somewhat different lens on this fascinating area of drug use.