The Harm Reduction Gap: Helping Individuals Left Behind by Conventional Drug Prevention and Abstinence-only Addiction Treatment

by Sheila P. Vakharia

This long-awaited book teaches how harm reduction can be a safety net for people with substance use disorders that our current addiction treatment rejects, abandons, and leaves behind.

Harm reduction is an approach to helping people who engage in high-risk activities to develop the skills and strategies to keep them and their communities safe. This can include the provision of sterile equipment, low-threshold and low-barrier care, and the acceptance of non-abstinence goals in treatment. In this novel guide, Dr. Vakharia discusses the shortcomings of the dominant “Just Say No” drug prevention messages and abstinence-only treatment approaches, introduces harm reduction strategies and technologies borne from people who use drugs themselves, and suggests various policy options available as alternatives to the current policies that criminalize drugs, drug-using equipment, and the settings in which people use drugs. The final chapter calls on the reader to destigmatize drug use and support efforts to reform our drug policies.

By highlighting the large gap in our current approach to substance use – the harm reduction gap – this book is the first step for those interested in learning more about the limitations of our current approach to drug use and how to support local efforts to ensure people who use drugs and their communities can stay safe. 

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2024

Reviews

[scarey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for folks who want to get a better grasp on harm reduction, folks who might want a refresher on cultural and historical concepts that have led to the presence and need of harm reduction, and for me personally an especially helpful resource for finding the words to explain the importance of harm reduction to others who may not understand what it is or how it applies to the greater good of community at large. I recommended it to my father who used to do peer counseling and he is a fan as well!

[Natasha Przedborski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful and timely book that highlights the limitations of our current addiction treatment system and the shortcomings of abstinence-only models. Dr. Vakharia examines the past, present, and future of harm reduction in a way that is both comprehensive and accessible. The book provides readers with the tools to think critically and compassionately about drug policy. A must-read for policy students, government officials, and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of this important and often misunderstood issue.

[Mikayla Mensink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening!