Harm Reduction Journal

Abstract Background Traditional cigarettes (TC) are regarded as more hazardous compared to heated tobacco products (HTPs). However, mainly from ethical reasons, there are no well-designed studies examining the health impact of exposure to HTPs. This study aimed to assess and compare self-reported physical health implications of respondents smoking traditional cigarettes and HTPs. Methods The surv…

Abstract Background Population data on cannabis use—beyond prevalence and frequency of use—in the UK is lacking, yet needed to inform harm reduction messaging about cannabis. This study examined (a) recreational and medical cannabis use; (b) cannabis product use; (c) cannabis risk perceptions via three different routes of administration; (d) how product use and risk perceptions vary by reasons fo…

Abstract Aims There is substantial evidence that many people recover from serious alcohol concerns without treatment and further, return to moderate alcohol consumption. The current study asks what people believe would happen if this evidence was widely disseminated. Design and methods Participants ( N = 3994), sampled to match the demographic characteristics of people in the UK, were recruited t…

Mobile harm reduction services like SOAB offer a promising model for addressing service exclusion in rural areas. By tailoring delivery to local contexts and reducing barriers linked to transport, stigma, and service visibility, such models have the potential to reach populations underserved by conventional approaches and inform future harm reduction strategies grounded in community knowledge and…

Inclusive language broadens the framing of sexual violence, beyond a white, abled, heterosexual, cisgender norm, and can help all students to perceive their experiences as worthy of support. Failures to acknowledge and embed intersectionality and inclusivity within policy and practice can lead to harmful and enduring well-being, safety and human rights-based consequences, and compound systemic is…

Providers offer valuable services and safe spaces for PWUO in NC, but should ask program participants' preferences regarding interaction style to ensure the services provided are aligned with the desires of PWUO to have the maximum possible impact.

Our findings reiterate the potential of SSPs to increase COVID-19 and other vaccination rates among PWID and provide insight into implementation adaptations to optimize vaccine uptake, including emphasizing the benefit of vaccines in communication efforts, offering compensation, and leveraging the trusted relationship with SSP staff, particularly peer navigators. Together, this evidence reinforce…

Fentanyl use was highly prevalent among PWID in the urban PNW. Non-injection fentanyl use was most common and street pills were frequently administered by smoking which was associated with injecting less. All fentanyl use was associated with increased risk for overdose. There is ongoing need for access to naloxone for PWID who use fentanyl.

Situated between two of the world's largest opium-producing regions, South Asia faces significant public health threats associated with drug trafficking and injecting drug use. People who inject drugs (PWID) in South Asia experience disproportionately high rates of bloodborne viruses (BBVs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). These …

Nearly four in five PWID in Oakland and San Francisco recently witnessed an overdose. Witnesses are at greater risk of non-fatal overdose and may be the first to respond when those they inject with overdose. Targeting naloxone distributions to PWID who are characteristically more likely to witness overdoses may prevent additional drug-related deaths.

Our findings underscore complexities of university-based OEND program implementation while providing actionable insights to support its national scale-up. Building on identified distinctions between universities in the process of implementing OEND programming and those without intention to implement, future research should identify OEND programming implementation phase among universities national…

Small area estimation provides a useful way to synthesize local estimates of e-cigarette use when direct estimation is impossible. The analysis suggests that the uptake of e-cigarettes, while associated with cessation from smoking for both types of workers, may not immediately reduce smoking-related disparities. Additional investigation should examine why the uptake of e-cigarettes may have a les…

Participation in the RAD program shows a positive association with an increase in engagement and service delivery within Maryland's SSPs, suggesting it may be considered as a valuable public health intervention for improving outcomes for PWUD. However, further research is needed to explore causality and influence of factors like broader public health initiatives.

Individuals who detected unexpected active drugs in their sample had higher odds of engaging in risk reduction practices. These findings highlight the potential of drug checking services as a harm reduction tool within a suite of services offered to combat the unpredictable and unregulated drug supply.

Adverse reactions to kratom may be associated with certain contextual factors. Several techniques are reportedly used to mitigate adverse reactions, but the efficacy of these techniques is unknown. More data are needed to understand the causes and consequences of adverse reactions to kratom, and to better understand potential harm reduction strategies for reducing adverse experiences. More resear…

Integrating liver screening into outreach-based drug and alcohol services was considered acceptable by staff and stakeholders when supported by interagency partnerships, targeted funding, and motivated staff. Future implementation efforts should prioritise keyworker training and enhanced communication between drug and alcohol and hepatology services.

Alcohol outlet density (AOD) is associated with drinking behaviors and related harms across several populations. As alcohol consumption compounds the depressive effects of opioids to increase overdose risk among people who inject drugs (PWID), this study investigated (1) whether off-premise AOD is associated with the risk of nonfatal overdose among a large sample of PWID, and (2) whether this rel…

This study provides strong ground for clinicians to consider the use of venlafaxine to reduce patient experiencing withdrawal symptoms from substances.

We propose a novel construct of polySUD recovery: proportion of remission. Our results indicate the potential of PrR to capture gradual improvements in quality of life and reflect recovery progress.