There’s a Cheap and Effective Way to Tackle the Opioid Crisis
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Originally published in The Progressive on June 27, 2024.
In 2022, the White House set ambitious goals to tackle the opioid crisis through the National Drug Control Strategy proposal. Collaborating with federal, state, and tribal governments, as well as local communities and health professionals, the strategy focused on two things: harm reduction efforts and racial equity in drug policy.
Harm reduction helps people who use drugs minimize health and legal problems. It empowers people to make informed choices about their health. Yet many community organizations still can not provide safer smoking supplies, a vital harm reduction strategy that would also advance racial equity.