A new and well organized group of drug pushers have taken to the streets of some of the world's major cities in an apparent attempt to sustain a drug market that has felt the impact of over a decade of prevention efforts worldwide. They have engaged communities in debating the legal aspects of drug use and skilfully avoided any discussion around the consequences, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, of the user or their family and friends. In so doing, they have managed to recruit some well respected citizens in their drug promotion efforts.

These pushers of the '90s call themselves "Harm Reductionists," an appropriately Orwellian title, considering their main pastime is the promotion of "responsible" drug use among the world's young people. They believe that primary prevention programs have failed in their efforts to prevent drug use among young people and that legislators have wrongfully declared drug users criminals. To the Harm Reductionists, drug use is a normal part of adolescence, has always been practice by humans, and will always be a human form of expression. They say, therefore, that we should teach young people how to use drugs responsibly, rather than be endlessly

frustrated in our attempts to stop drug use.

Harm Reductionists point to a range of symptoms from this intolerance to drug use in our culture. Prohibition is their choice weapon to impress upon us the futility and negative consequences of drug criminalization. They believe organized crime, corruption, the spread of disease (in particular AIDS), and the massive drug cartels are the fruits of our labor when we make drugs illegal in our society. Their claims are convincing to many and they back them up further with impressive sounding surveys and research coming out of prestigious educational institutions, failing to explain that

they conducted the surveys themselves and that their research has been challenged by the medical community, health organizations and research foundations.

Furthermore, Harm Reductionists believe drug use is actually beneficial to individuals and is an essential part of an adolescent's initiation into adulthood. To them, drug use is a positive expression of a young person's individuality and freedom to explore the limits of their mental, physical, and spiritual being. To Harm Reductionists, society should grant this right to explore without fear of moral judgment or imprisonment, while teaching young people how far they can go on this flight to freedom.

Harm Reductionists ignore the human face of drug addiction. They do not frequent AA or NA meetings, nor do they visit outpatient wards or drug crisis centers. Their world is the conference podium, curriculum committee, or an office somewhere far from those other "uneducated" drug pushers. Tragically, Harm Reductionists target the innocence of children.
 
Beware the Harm Reductionists or Minimizers or any other variations of these clever drug pushers. When they come to your hometown, as they surely will, challenge them. Above all, remember that, despite their arguments, prevention is working . . . the Harm Reduction movement is proof!
 

From The Best of IDEA, Illinois. Winter, 1993