What is a characteristic of harm reduction strategies?

Harm reduction strategies are grounded in the understanding that while substance use can pose significant risks, complete elimination of use may not be a realistic or attainable goal for everyone. Instead, these strategies aim to acknowledge the presence of substance use in society and seek to minimize the associated risks to individuals and communities.

By focusing on practical measures, such as providing safe consumption spaces, access to clean needles, and education about safer practices, harm reduction promotes safer behaviors and improves health outcomes. This approach recognizes that many individuals may continue to use substances despite the risks, and therefore, it values reducing harm over the traditional focus on abstinence. This is beneficial not only for the individuals engaged in substance use but also for public health as a whole, by reducing the spread of diseases and improving safety.