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Aims and Scope

The Harm Reduction Journal is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that publishes research and commentary on approaches diminishing the harm of stigmatization, marginalization and criminalization of public health, human rights and social justice issues, as well as rebuking the de facto criminalization of marginalized and stigmatized communities. Historically applied to drug use and policy, Harm Reduction Journal now encourages submissions on gambling, alcohol, tobacco, sex work, the internet, human enhancement drugs, psychoactive and addictive substances, incarceration, road trauma, youth, and law enforcement. We define harm reduction as 'policies and programs which aim to reduce the health, social, and economic costs of this range of behaviors without necessarily reducing the behaviors themselves'. 

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Articles

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The Changing Face of Harm Reduction

Public health is changing and there are new challenges being presented to harm reductionists. Read about the work the journal is doing in new and emerging fields of harm reduction, including drugs and the internet, human enhancement, gambling and a range of others.

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Editor-in-Chief

Prof Nick Crofts 
The Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Australia
Deputy Editor
Dr Abu Abdul-Quader, USA


Section Editors

Alcohol harm reduction
Dr Bernie Pauly, University of Victoria, Canada
Tobacco harm reduction
Dr Marewa Glover, Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking, New Zealand
Substance use harm reduction
Relevant submissions handled by the Editor-in-Chief or Deputy Editor
Gambling harm reduction
Dr Michael Egerer, University of Helsinki, Finland
Human enhancement drugs
Prof James McVeigh, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Drugs and the internet
Dr Angus Bancroft, University of Edinburgh, UK
Mr Aleksey Lakhov, Humanitarian Action, Russia
Reducing the harm of incarceration
Phillip Marotta, Brown School at Washington University, USA
Youth, drugs and harm reduction
Danya Fast, University of British Columbia, Canada
Florian Scheibein, South East Technological University, Ireland

View our Collections

Harm Reduction Journal has published a number of thematic series and collections including:

Policing, Law Enforcement and Harm Reduction
Edited by: Brandon del Pozo, Jennifer J. Carroll, Mukta Sharma & Nick Crofts

Young people, drugs and harm reduction
Edited by: Alissa Greer, Danya Fast, Angela McBride, Florian Scheibein

Alcohol Harm Reduction 2021 and Beyond
Edited by: Bernie Pauly, Nick Crofts

The Involvement and Engagement of Peers in Research
Edited by: Annie Madden, Prof Jo Neale & Prof Carla Treloar

Harm Reduction Journal 15th anniversary
Edited by: Nick Crofts, Editor-in-Chief

Society affiliations

Harm Reduction Coalition is a national advocacy and capacity-building organization that promotes the health and dignity of individuals and communities impacted by drug use. Our efforts advance harm reduction policies, practices and programs that address the adverse effects of drug use including overdose, HIV, hepatitis C, addiction, and incarceration. Recognizing that social inequality and injustice magnify drug-related harm and limit the voice of our most vulnerable communities, we work to uphold every individual’s right to health and well-being and their competence to participate in the public policy dialogue.

Annual Journal Metrics

  • 2022 Citation Impact
    4.4 - 2-year Impact Factor
    4.8 - 5-year Impact Factor
    1.506 - SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper)
    1.414 - SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

    2022 Speed
    10 days submission to first editorial decision for all manuscripts (Median)
    136 days submission to accept (Median)

    2022 Usage 
    3,087,728 downloads
    22,523 Altmetric mentions