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Harm Minimisation

by Norman Tew

 
I am writing this on 10th December 2019, for it was inspired by two items on the 7 am ABC news for NSW this morning.  The first concerned the death of a religious minister who was listed as one of the founders of the Safe Injecting Room in Kings Cross.  The second was an analysis by the Australian National University Medical School of the results of pill testing at a Canberra music festival.

Both safe injecting rooms and festival pill testing are presented as "harm minimisation" actions and therefore good things.

Do they reduce the amount of harm being done - the answer must be YES.

Do they sponsor harm being continued (at a lower level) - again the answer must be YES.

Is it possible to eliminate harm (no drug use) - some would say NO.

Let us widen the picture to include tobacco and alcohol use.  It is agreed that both cause harm not only to the user but also to others.  Tobacco smoke from others is known to cause harm and in the case of alcohol it is known that much domestic violence and traffic accident harm is alcohol fuelled.

It is a very sad state of society where elimination of harm is not sought but merely minimisation of the harm.

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