According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016), the number of overdose deaths involving opioids quadrupled from the year 2000 to 2014. Almost half a million people died during this time due to an opioid overdose. This breaks down to seventy eight Americans dying a day. The Center for Disease Control also reports, “Overdoses from prescription opioid pain relievers are a driving factor in the fifteen year increase in overdose deaths. Since, 1999, the amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. quadrupled, yet there has not been and overall change in the amount of pain Americans report” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016, para. 2).
Harm reduction is a non-judgmental approach to reducing the harm caused to individuals while using drugs. The non judgmental approach is important due to the stigma many people who use drugs face. The focus …show more content…
There are many misconceptions about harm reduction such as, it enables drug use and reinforces bad behavior. Harm reduction takes the stance that people will use drugs; therefore, keeping them safe until they decide to abstain is beneficial to the user and the community. Another belief is harm reduction takes resources from treatment; in actuality harm reduction reduces the expensive cost associated with diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Many believe harm reduction is supporting the legalization of drugs.
Insite, which is a supervised injection site in Vancouver, Canada, has had enormous success with their harm reduction facility. They offer a clean facility with new supplies such as syringes, cookers, filters, water and tourniquets all under the supervision of nurses and mental health workers. The site had 1,418 overdoses in six years, however, not a single fatality. Research has shown, since Insite has opened, fatal overdoses in the area have decreased by thirty five percent (Vancouver Coastal Health,
Harm reduction is a non-judgmental approach to reducing the harm caused to individuals while using drugs. The non judgmental approach is important due to the stigma many people who use drugs face. The focus …show more content…
There are many misconceptions about harm reduction such as, it enables drug use and reinforces bad behavior. Harm reduction takes the stance that people will use drugs; therefore, keeping them safe until they decide to abstain is beneficial to the user and the community. Another belief is harm reduction takes resources from treatment; in actuality harm reduction reduces the expensive cost associated with diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Many believe harm reduction is supporting the legalization of drugs.
Insite, which is a supervised injection site in Vancouver, Canada, has had enormous success with their harm reduction facility. They offer a clean facility with new supplies such as syringes, cookers, filters, water and tourniquets all under the supervision of nurses and mental health workers. The site had 1,418 overdoses in six years, however, not a single fatality. Research has shown, since Insite has opened, fatal overdoses in the area have decreased by thirty five percent (Vancouver Coastal Health,