What is harm reduction?
Harm reduction is providing information on drugs and alcohol; the facts, the short/ long term effects, the law and the risks which will assist someone to make their own decision on whether or not they are going to take drugs/ alcohol.
The benefits of this approach – if someone has all the information about a drug then they are able to make their own decision on whether or not they intend to try it, rather than someone just telling them ‘not to do it’ or ‘just say no’. We all know that the more someone tells you not to do something with no explanation the more likely that person is to try it.
No drugs are safe to take, but taking other factors into consideration can make your experience safer.
Alcohol
• Don’t drink and drive
• Pace yourself - drink soft drinks or water in between alcoholic drinks
• Eat before you go out and try to eat something salty throughout the night like crisps or nuts
• Don’t mix with other drugs – if you mix with other downers there’s a high risk of overdose and if you mix with uppers you’re putting extra pressure on your heart.
Cannabis
• Try not to smoke with tobacco – there are 4000+ chemicals in one cigarette and another 2000+ in cannabis which can seriously affect your health
• Try not to use too often, cannabis may become the focus of your everyday life
• Don’t become complacent about the legal status; cannabis is a Class B drug which still comes with penalties affecting employment and travel abroad
• Be careful if there is a history of mental health in the family, cannabis use can trigger mental health issues in some people
Cocaine
• Try not to inject cocaine – sniff or smoke instead
• Don’t share equipment for example needles or rolled up bank notes. Sniffing can lead to nosebleeds and HIV/Hep C could be transmitted to other users
• If injecting always make sure the needles are sterilised
• Cut down the amount you take and how often you take it - monitor how much you are taking and try to stop it getting out of control
Ecstasy
• Be aware of strange tablets/capsules and buying from people you don’t know
• Sip one pint of water every hour, small amounts regularly rather than all at once will prevent you from flooding your lungs
• Try and go outside or to a chill-out area for at least 5 minutes every hour
• Stay with your friends and watch out for one another
Heroin
• Don’t mix with other drugs – especially other downers (risk of overdose)
• Smoking or sniffing heroin reduces the risks linked to injecting.
• Try not to use the drug alone, always make sure someone else is with you
• Take a very small amount first to test the strength before you inject all of it into your system at once.
LSD
• Start off with a quarter of a tab and wait for it to take effect before you take any more – if you’re going to have a bad reaction at least you’ve only taken a small amount.
• Take it in a place you feel comfortable and safe
• Be around people you know and trust in case you have a bad trip.
• If someone’s having a bad trip take them into a quiet room and reassure them they will be okay, do not try to frighten them more
Nicotine
• Menthol and low tar cigarettes are still as harmful as smokers drag deeper on these types
• Try to cut down – think of the money you could save not to mention your lungs!
• Try not to inhale too deeply and don’t hold the smoke in too long – it makes no difference
• Don’t smoke it down to the filter and try not to smoke it past the writing
Amphetamine Sulphate (Speed)
• Don’t sniff too often as the inside of the nose (septum) can be worn away
• Take a small dose at first to check the strength
• Avoid using too often
• Take extra care of your teeth – users often grind their teeth together and can damage them.
Solvents
• There is no harm reduction message as there is no safe way to use solvents – you can die on your first time
• You can suffocate using a bag for sniffing glue – don’t place it over your head
• You can freeze your throat cutting off the supply of oxygen into your windpipe
• Never give anyone a fright who is using solvents because their heart is so sensitive, any slight increase in adrenaline can cause their heart to stop!
Magic Mushrooms
• Know what you’re picking – picking the wrong mushroom can make you violently ill and put you in hospital.
• Don’t take too many or too often
• Take it with people you trust in a safe environment
Benzodiazepines (Valium)
• Only take if they are prescribed for you, as your doctor knows your medical history and only he/she will know whether it’s safe for you to take them.
• Users can become addicted to these in just 2 weeks, so try not to use them regularly.
• Don’t mix with alcohol or any other stimulant drugs. This puts pressure on the heart and could lead to heart failure and overdose.