How can reducing harm not only help those who do drugs but it helps society!!

Thinking about harm is something that is slightly obsessive-compulsive for me, I am not sure why I do it so much; maybe it was due to always thinking about focusing on harm for the past 10 years if not longer. I don't necessarily think that when it comes to harm reduction it always has to be about the drugs, it can be an approach that takes the drug use into consideration but ultimately all interventions should be reduced at reducing harm. It only makes sense, why would we want to implement any other type of program?

The programs today however, they don't think of harm, they think of how much drug use there is and that it must be stopped immediately and at any cost. But who does this cost? (poor people, minority groups) What harm does this approach have on people who happen to choose to use illicit substances (alcoholics and smokers don't have this problem when they want to receive help) and can't stop? Why isn't that question asked?

Reducing harm is very difficult when the solution is prohibited pretty much around the world. The solution is to end the war on drugs and take the approach of human rights, health and compassion. We need to begin to question the harm in all areas of life not just regarding drug use as that doesn't illustrate any type of harm to society only that drug use occurred. It doesn't necessarily mean harm as it is possible to use substances without becoming a drug addict, without causing harm to anyone and in fact, actually receive some benefit.

Harm comes from violence, anger, death and injury that results due to the prohibition of drugs not from the drugs itself as many people on this planet would have you believe. People will still use no matter how many enforcement activities are engaged in to stop it (also causing harm) as it is something that is natural, it is what humans do, take drugs. We can't determine harm on amount of drug use only, we need to think about their stress in life, the health and mental disorders present, and environment. So many things are important that influence the drug use that if managed more appropriately, the use may just reduce naturally such as stress and mental health issues.

REducing harm is the what is important, not people using drugs. That is a natural behaviour of humans and can never be changed, what can be changed is how harmful this use is? Does he drink and drive or catch a cab? Does he get oxygen support for his contuned smoking addiction to ensure he remains alive - it doesn't stop the addiction thought? Reducing harm!!