Harm Reduction Q&A: Need your input

[SixBuckets]

Hi all,

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. I checked out the "drug studies" board and think this is a better place for my post, but feel free to move it if I'm wrong.

I work in harm reduction/health promotion, specifically dealing with viral hepatitis. I want to introduce some more drug-related harm reduction information into my main health promotion publication and was thinking of doing so in an "agony aunt" Q&A format.

I'm asking around for suggested questions, and thought bluelight posters might have some really good suggestions. So, if you'd like to help me out:

- What's the most useful harm reduction information you've ever been given?
- Do you have a harm reduction question you've never had answered?
- What's the harm reduction information you wish you'd had when you were a new drug user?
- What harm reduction information do you think other drug users most need to know?

Our publication has a focus on injecting drug use (of all kinds) but harm reduction information that deals with other drug administration routes or covers injecting and other admin routes is more than welcome.

Thanks!

 

[treatmentquestion]

wash your hands.

 

[Johno88]

People need to know just sharing a spoon you can get hep c if someone has it and is using a dirty fit.

 

[Johno88]

You need to educate people with the basic facts that you shouldn't share any equipment and hep c really shortens your life expectancy. Also about how prevalent HIV and AIDS are. There's lots of urban myths people live by. One I heard in prison was HIV dies within 10-30 seconds after being in air. People would suck air into a fit a few times after rinsing out with water believing they were stopping any chance of catching it. Crazy.

 

[SixBuckets]

Thanks, Johno and treatmentquestion. We do cover a lot of "don't share equipment" stuff in every issue, and I will keep making that clear in future!

I've done a bit of work with people in prisons and you're right that there are a lot of myths. The New South Wales drug user organisation NUAA put out a publication recently that talked about injecting drug use in prisons - it's here if anyone wants to read it. http://www.nuaa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/prison.pdf

 

[Yeetbeat]

Hi all,

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. I checked out the "drug studies" board and think this is a better place for my post, but feel free to move it if I'm wrong.

I work in harm reduction/health promotion, specifically dealing with viral hepatitis. I want to introduce some more drug-related harm reduction information into my main health promotion publication and was thinking of doing so in an "agony aunt" Q&A format.

I'm asking around for suggested questions, and thought bluelight posters might have some really good suggestions. So, if you'd like to help me out:

- What's the most useful harm reduction information you've ever been given?
Aside from the generic ideal of DO YOUR RESEARCH, frequency of use restrictions with regards to releasers like MDxx
- Do you have a harm reduction question you've never had answered?
I'm sure I do, but nothing comes to mind at this point
- What's the harm reduction information you wish you'd had when you were a new drug user?
MDxx/releasers - NO MORE THAN ONCE A MONTH
- What harm reduction information do you think other drug users most need to know?
Use of reagent test kits, appropriate dosages, appropriate frequency of use, and harmful combinations (such as for those on anti-depressants looking to take MDxx)


Our publication has a focus on injecting drug use (of all kinds) but harm reduction information that deals with other drug administration routes or covers injecting and other admin routes is more than welcome.

Thanks!

As above, broseph