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Harm reduction
Harm reducation means trying to reduce the harm that people do to themselves, or others, from their drug use
It can be contrasted with primary prevention, which tries to stop people using drugs in the first place, or to stop them using once they've started.
Harm reduction first became a widely used term in the UK in the 1980s in response to the increasing number of cases of HIV among drug injectors and the development of syringe exchange schemes. Since then it has been developed in a number of ways including 'safer dancing' and study safely campaigns to prevent deaths from overheating associated with ecstasy use or from day to day harm from harmful drug use.
Harm reduction focuses on 'safer' drug use and has also been developed as a way of educating young people about drug use, rather than telling theme to 'Just Say No'.
There have been arguments over the morality of harm reduction. Some people say that it condones or promotes drug use but people who support it say it is realistic, helps keep drug users safe, and respects choice and individual freedom.
