Harm Reduction Policy

Expansion of NORS could reach more Canadians who use substances and do not access existing harm reduction programmes. Virtual overdose response services are not an ideal replacement for in-person supervised consumption sites. Supervised consumption sites have strong evidence for effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, but remain politically contested. Conservative estimates suggest up to 100,000 Canadians who use substances may not access existing harm reduction programmes. More recent studies explicitly embedded harm reduction as a guiding philosophy rather than treating it as a collection of isolated interventions. Harm reduction is both a practical set of health promotion and risk-reduction interventions and a philosophy grounded in pragmatism, human rights, autonomy, person-centred care, and non-judgmental engagement. Stigma toward people who use drugs can lead to inconsistent service availability and worsened health disparities. The aim of harm reduction in substance use care is to reduce drug-related harms while respecting the decisions and dignity of people who use drugs.