Here in Winnipeg, researchers found that people who use drugs were almost 4 times more likely to share their needles if they didn’t have a source of clean ones. This translates not only to more used needles on the street, but also to increasing rates of HIV and hepatitis in the community.

We recognise that it is a lot easier to take a lot of tiny steps rather than one or two huge steps (like quitting drugs on the spot). We talk with our clients about unsafe practices and ways of staying safe, and we can collect used needles so they do not end up on the street. Then, when and if a person needs support (like addictions treatment, etc.), they have someone they can talk to. In this way, harm reduction services make it easier for drug users to re-engage in society instead of catching an infection or succumbing to a drug overdose.

An international study showed that 29 cities around the world with harm reduction programs showed a decrease in HIV rates by 5.8% per year. At the same time, rates increased on average by 5.9% per year in 51 cities without a harm reduction program. As recently as April 2015, bans on needle-distribution in the United States have been linked to an outbreak of HIV. Harm reduction programs are high impact and benefit the entire community for little investment.