The Biden administration has embraced harm reductionas a critical component of its drug control strategy—the first time the federal government has supported such measures to curb drug overdoses, now at a record 107,000 per year. But the plan, which includes a $30 million grant, faces fierce local opposition and legal obstacles. Harm reduction programs operate on the fringes of legality and often with scant budgets, a maze of conflicting local and state laws, and hostile law enforcement. Many states have legalized aspects of harm reduction, but fentanyl test strips, which can detect the presence of the deadly synthetic opioid, are illegal in about half of states, as they are considered “drug paraphernalia” under arcane laws. Seven states don’t have any programs offering people clean needles, which prevents the spread of infectious diseases. And New York is the only city operating safe injection sites, where individuals can use drugs under the supervision of medical personnel. Harm reduction also faces backlash in progressive cities and states, where some residents believe they foster and encourage drug use. While harm reduction advocates understand that such programs won’t on their own stop overdose deaths, they recognize that they will save lives and hopefully allow the user to enter treatment. Such programs must therefore include incentives and a pathway to treatment in order to change lives.
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Rosenthal Center for AddictIon Studies