Red Emma’s

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.

Sheila Vakharia PhD MSW is an author, a speaker, and a national expert on harm reduction and drug policy. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Department of Research and Academic Engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance, the nation’s leading advocacy organization fighting to end the war on drugs. Dr. Vakharia brings over 15 years of combined experience in clinical social work in both treatment and harm reduction settings, research, teaching, and policy advocacy to her work.

The Maryland Alliance for Sensible Drug Policy is a statewide advocacy group whose mission is to empower and mobilize people who use or have used drugs to fight for policies that protect their health, wellness, and autonomy. Founded in 2024, the Alliance is led by people who use or have used drugs, their loved ones, and allies. Through research, organizing, education, and grassroots lobbying, the Alliance works to dismantle punitive drug policies and increase access to harm reduction programs, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support services.