Can harm reduction strategies provide a viable basis for youth and Essay

Can harm reduction strategies provide a viable basis for youth and community work practice in marginalized communities with significant drug problems - Essay Example e progressive nations in the world is primarily due to the realization that a consistent portion of the population will use drugs which includes alcohol and tobacco however this discussion speaks primarily to the illegal variety. The current illegal drug strategy in the UK is four-fold. One, educating young persons in the dangers of misusing drugs; two, law enforcement initiatives designed to keep communities safe from drug-related and criminal behaviour and three, disrupt the supply of drugs. The fourth part of the strategy is harm reduction techniques (â€Å"Harm Reduction†, 2002). The goal of harm reduction is to do simply that for both individual and community without regard for personal ideological, legal or moral opinions of drug use. Government sponsored programs and treatment for drug users allows an opportunity for early intervention and education or, for the habitual user, a supply source for controlled narcotic distribution and unused syringes. Access to controlled amounts of narcotics or their synthetic equivalent ensures the drug’s pureness and takes away the need to commit crimes for drug money. A ‘clean needle program’ slows the spread of the HIV virus, hepatitis and other blood-borne illnesses. The benefit to both individual and community is clear (â€Å"AIDS and Drug Misuse†, 1988). The community method of harm reduction incorporates outreach services as its main intercession technique. This is opposed to the traditional, functional approach which operates from a fixed and often inconvenient location. Agencies are situated mainly within marginalized communities and open at opportune times so as to be more accessible to the drug user. In addition, agency workers go to the user if necessary. The workers interact differently in the community method. Instead of outlining a prescribed path of wellness to the user, they inquire as to the needs of the user. â€Å"Needs will be expressed, often having nothing to do with the reduction of