Party Safe - Integrating Harm Reduction Into How We Use
Stigmatized narratives impose the idea that people who use drugs are not intelligent or responsible about their use. Research (Shambhala, 2015/6?) shows us quite the opposite. Many users are as informed as possible and engage with substance use in ways that demonstrate personal responsibility in the face of disempowering prohibition structures. Harm Reduction involves peers having access to knowledge, supplies and support to make choices that reduce the potential harms of risks.
Potential Learning Outcomes
Discussion Topics
How do we research drugs?
What strategies can we use to reduce risk?
Implementing personal gear practices to prevent the spread of infections. (See also modules BBI, Drug Checking, Safer Injection, Safer Inhalation)
What does a safer consumption site include? How can we make our places of use unofficial “safer consumption sites”?
Suggested Resources
https://erowid.org/splash.php
https://drugs-forum.com/
https://www.bluelight.org/xf/forums/
https://www.ankorsvolunteer.com
- Researching
- Planning
- Safe Consumption sites
Stigmatized narratives impose the idea that people who use drugs are not intelligent or responsible about their use. Research (Shambhala, 2015/6?) shows us quite the opposite. Many users are as informed as possible and engage with substance use in ways that demonstrate personal responsibility in the face of disempowering prohibition structures. Harm Reduction involves peers having access to knowledge, supplies and support to make choices that reduce the potential harms of risks.
Potential Learning Outcomes
- Approaching substance use from informed and empowered perspectives.
- Utilizing tools to implement harm reduction in personal use practice.
Discussion Topics
How do we research drugs?
- Personal contacts (survey fellow peers on experiences)
- Online Resources (see below)
- Books (PiKaL, Tikal, Pharmacopeia etc)
What strategies can we use to reduce risk?
- Test dosing
- Using with friends
- Overdose awareness
- Naloxone ready
- Prevent/reduce mixing
Implementing personal gear practices to prevent the spread of infections. (See also modules BBI, Drug Checking, Safer Injection, Safer Inhalation)
- Colour codes
- Personal kits
- Accessing exchange services
What does a safer consumption site include? How can we make our places of use unofficial “safer consumption sites”?
- Clean
- Supervised
- Personal Gear
- Overdose prepared
Suggested Resources
https://erowid.org/splash.php
https://drugs-forum.com/
https://www.bluelight.org/xf/forums/
https://www.ankorsvolunteer.com