Articles

Irish general practitioner attitudes toward decriminalisation and medical use of cannabis: results from a national survey

Governmental debate in Ireland on the de facto decriminalisation of cannabis and legalisation for medical use is ongoing. A cannabis-based medicinal product (Sativex®) has recently been granted market authoris...

Authors: Des Crowley, Claire Collins, Ide Delargy, Eamon Laird and Marie Claire Van Hout

The political and scientific challenges in evaluating compulsory drug treatment centers in Southeast Asia

In Vietnam, like many countries in Southeast Asia, the commonly used approach of center-based compulsory drug treatment (CCT) has been criticized on human rights ground. Meanwhile, community-based voluntary me...

Authors: Thu Vuong, Nhu Nguyen, Giang Le, Marian Shanahan, Robert Ali and Alison Ritter

Stigmatization among methadone maintenance treatment patients in mountainous areas in northern Vietnam

Stigma and discrimination may adversely affect the benefits of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for drug users, especially in disadvantaged settings. This study assessed stigma and discrimination against ...

Authors: Hung Van Nguyen, Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Hue Thi Mai, Hai Quan Le, Bach Xuan Tran, Canh Dinh Hoang, Huong Thi Le, Cuong Tat Nguyen, Tho Dinh Tran, Carl A. Latkin and Thuc Minh Thi Vu

Results of a participatory needs assessment demonstrate an opportunity to involve people who use alcohol in drug user activism and harm reduction

Drug users’ organizations have made progress in recent years in advocating for the health and human rights of people who use illicit drugs but have historically not emphasized the needs of people who drink alc...

Authors: Alexis Crabtree, Nicole Latham, Lorna Bird and Jane Buxton

Drug use and health behaviour among German men who have sex with men: Results of a qualitative, multi-centre study

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are a risk group for new HIV infections. Drug use among men who have sex with men is often accompanied by risky sexual behaviours. Local AIDS help centres and gay advice centres...

Authors: Daniel Deimel, Heino Stöver, Susann Hößelbarth, Anna Dichtl, Niels Graf and Viola Gebhardt

Retention in Georgia opioid substitution therapy program and associated factors

Substance abuse has been considered as a growing challenge in Georgia that is closely linked with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C transmission due to unsafe injection and other uncontrolled...

Authors: Ekaterine Ruadze and Khatuna Todadze

Correlates of sex trading among male non-injecting drug users in Myanmar: a cross-sectional study

Sex trading is a recognized risk factor for human immune deficiency virus infection and other sexually transmitted infections among non-injecting drug users (NIDUs). However, very little research has addressed...

Authors: Yu Mon Saw, Thu Nandar Saw, Kyi Mar Wai, Krishna C. Poudel and Hla Hla Win

Development of a filter to prevent infections with spore-forming bacteria in injecting drug users

In heroin injectors, there have been a number of outbreaks caused by spore-forming bacteria, causing serious infections such as anthrax or botulism. These are, most likely, caused by injecting contaminated her...

Authors: Nour Alhusein, Jenny Scott, Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern and Albert Bolhuis

Elevated risk of incarceration among street-involved youth who initiate drug dealing

Street-involved youth are known to be an economically vulnerable population that commonly resorts to risky activities such as drug dealing to generate income. While incarceration is common among people who use...

Authors: Carly Hoy, Brittany Barker, Jackie Regan, Huiru Dong, Lindsey Richardson, Thomas Kerr and Kora DeBeck

An integrated approach to care attracts people living with HIV who use illicit drugs in an urban centre with a concentrated HIV epidemic

People living with HIV (PLHIV) who are also marginalized by social and structural inequities often face barriers to accessing and adhering to HIV treatment and care. The Dr. Peter Centre (DPC) is a non-profit ...

Authors: S. Fernando, R. McNeil, K. Closson, H. Samji, S. Kirkland, C. Strike, R. Baltzer Turje, W. Zhang, R. S. Hogg and S. Parashar

Medical cannabis use in Canada: vapourization and modes of delivery

The mode of medical cannabis delivery—whether cannabis is smoked, vapourized, or consumed orally—may have important implications for its therapeutic efficacy and health risks. However, there is very little evi...

Authors: Samantha Shiplo, Mark Asbridge, Scott T. Leatherdale and David Hammond

Mental health among clients of the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC)

The Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) is a supervised injecting facility (SIF) where people who inject drugs (PWID) can do so legally, under health professional supervision. The majority of c...

Authors: Mark Goodhew, Allison M. Salmon, Christina Marel, Katherine L. Mills and Marianne Jauncey

Overview of harm reduction in prisons in seven European countries

While the last decade has seen a growth of support for harm reduction around the world, the availability and accessibility of quality harm reduction services in prison settings is uneven and continues to be in...

Authors: Gen Sander, Alessio Scandurra, Anhelita Kamenska, Catherine MacNamara, Christina Kalpaki, Cristina Fernandez Bessa, Gemma Nicolás Laso, Grazia Parisi, Lorraine Varley, Marcin Wolny, Maria Moudatsou, Nuno Henrique Pontes, Patricia Mannix-McNamara, Sandro Libianchi and Tzanetos Antypas

A cross-sectional national survey assessing self-reported drug intake behavior, contact with the primary sector and drug treatment among service users of Danish drug consumption rooms

Drug consumption rooms (DCRs) have been implemented worldwide as a harm-reducing strategy. In 2012, Denmark passed legislation allowing establishment of DCRs. The aim of this study was to identify characterist...

Authors: Eva Charlotte Toth, Jette Tegner, Sigurd Lauridsen and Nanna Kappel

Meaningful engagement of people living with HIV who use drugs: methodology for the design of a Peer Research Associate (PRA) hiring model

Community-based HIV, harm reduction, and addiction research increasingly involve members of affected communities as Peer Research Associates (PRAs)—individuals with common experiences to the participant popula...

Authors: K. Closson, R. McNeil, P. McDougall, S. Fernando, A. B. Collins, R. Baltzer Turje, T. Howard and S. Parashar

A socio-structural approach to preventing injection drug use initiation: rationale for the PRIMER study

Injection drug use remains a primary driver of HIV and HCV-related harms globally. However, there is a gap in efforts to prevent individuals from transitioning into injecting. People who inject drugs (PWID) pl...

Authors: Daniel Werb, Richard Garfein, Thomas Kerr, Peter Davidson, Perrine Roux, Marie Jauffret-Roustide, Marc Auriacombe, Will Small and Steffanie A. Strathdee

Factors associated with knowledge of a Good Samaritan Law among young adults who use prescription opioids non-medically

To date, no studies have examined the extent of knowledge and perceptions of Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) among young adults who engage in non-medical prescription opioid (NMPO) use. We sought to determine aware...

Authors: Tristan I. Evans, Scott E. Hadland, Melissa A. Clark, Traci C. Green and Brandon D. L. Marshall

Effects of combination approach on harm reduction programs: the Taiwan experience

In 2003, a major epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus emerged among injection drug users in Taiwan. In response to the twin epidemics of HIV and intravenous drug addiction, the government implemented compr...

Authors: Ting Lin, Chang-Hsun Chen and Pesus Chou

Health professionals in Flanders perceive the potential health risks of vaping as lower than those of smoking but do not recommend using e-cigarettes to their smoking patients

Many misperceptions of both risks and opportunities of e-cigarettes (e-cigs) exist among the general population and among physicians, although e-cigs could be a valuable harm reduction tool for current smokers.

Authors: Dinska Van Gucht and Frank Baeyens

Factors associated with HIV testing among male injecting drug users: findings from a cross-sectional behavioural and biological survey in Manipur and Nagaland, India

Although targeted interventions in India require all high-risk groups, including injecting drug users (IDUs), to test for HIV every 6 months, testing uptake among IDUs remains far from universal. Our study estima...

Authors: Deepika Ganju, Sowmya Ramesh and Niranjan Saggurti

A qualitative study of how Danish drug consumption rooms influence health and well-being among people who use drugs

Drug use contributes to higher rates of morbidity and mortality among people who use drugs compared to the general population. In 2012, Danish politicians passed a law that allowed drug consumption rooms (DCRs...

Authors: Nanna Kappel, Eva Toth, Jette Tegner and Sigurd Lauridsen

Peer-engagement and its role in reducing the risky behavior among crack and methamphetamine smokers of the Downtown Eastside community of Vancouver, Canada

The role of peers (former or current drug users) in reducing risky behavior within methamphetamine and crack smokers has not been well described or researched. The current study not only explores the role of p...

Authors: Ehsan Jozaghi, Hugh Lampkin and Martin A. Andresen

Beyond equipment distribution in Needle and Syringe Programmes: an exploratory analysis of blood-borne virus risk and other measures of client need

Despite high levels of equipment distribution through Needle and Syringe Programmes (NSPs) in Australia, the levels of reuse of equipment among people who inject drugs remain concerning. This paper used an exp...

Authors: Carla Treloar, Limin Mao and Hannah Wilson

Qualitative assessment of take-home naloxone program participant and law enforcement interactions in British Columbia

The British Columbia take-home naloxone (BCTHN) program has been in operation since 2012 and has resulted in the successful reversal of over 581 opioid overdoses. The study aims to explore BCTHN program partic...

Authors: Andrew Deonarine, Ashraf Amlani, Graham Ambrose and Jane A. Buxton

Finding safety: a pilot study of managed alcohol program participants’ perceptions of housing and quality of life

There is a higher prevalence of alcohol use and severe alcohol dependence among homeless populations. The combination of alcohol use and lack of housing contributes to increased vulnerability to the harms of s...

Authors: Bernadette (Bernie) Pauly, Erin Gray, Kathleen Perkin, Clifton Chow, Kate Vallance, Bonnie Krysowaty and Timothy Stockwell

Do managed alcohol programs change patterns of alcohol consumption and reduce related harm? A pilot study

Managed alcohol programs (MAPs) are a harm reduction strategy for people with severe alcohol dependence and unstable housing. MAPs provide controlled access to alcohol usually alongside accommodation, meals, a...

Authors: Kate Vallance, Tim Stockwell, Bernie Pauly, Clifton Chow, Erin Gray, Bonnie Krysowaty, Kathleen Perkin and Jinhui Zhao

Legal space for syringe exchange programs in hot spots of injection drug use-related crime

Copious evidence indicates that syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are effective structural interventions for HIV prevention among persons who inject drugs (PWID). The efficacy of SEPs in supporting the public h...

Authors: Sean T. Allen, Monica S. Ruiz, Jeff Jones and Monique M. Turner

A scoping review of home-produced heroin and amphetamine-type stimulant substitutes: implications for prevention, treatment, and policy

Several home-produced substances such as krokodil and boltushka are prevalent in many Eastern European countries. Anecdotal reports of its use have been circulating in Germany and Norway; however, this has not be...

Authors: Evelyn Hearne, Jean-Paul Cornelius Grund, Marie Claire Van Hout and Jim McVeigh

Correlates of cocaine use during methadone treatment: implications for screening and clinical management (ANRS Methaville study)

Cocaine use is frequent in patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and can jeopardize their treatment response. Identifying clinical predictors of cocaine use during methadone treatment can po...

Authors: Perrine Roux, Caroline Lions, Antoine Vilotitch, Laurent Michel, Marion Mora, Gwenaelle Maradan, Fabienne Marcellin, Bruno Spire, Alain Morel and Patrizia M. Carrieri

Harm reduction policy in Taiwan: toward a comprehensive understanding of its making and effects

In response to the spread of HIV caused by needle sharing among injection drug users (IDUs), the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control implemented a pilot harm reduction program in 2005 that expanded nationwide i...

Authors: Jia-shin Chen

Understanding differences in HIV/HCV prevalence according to differentiated risk behaviors in a sample of PWID in rural Puerto Rico

Blood contained in needles and injection equipment has been identified as a vector for HIV and HCV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). Yet, there is often a wide discrepancy in prevalence for bo...

Authors: Roberto Abadie, Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, Camila Gelpi-Acosta, Juan Carlos Reyes and Kirk Dombrowski

Acknowledgement of manuscript reviewers 2015

The editors of Harm Reduction Journal would like to thank all our reviewers who have contributed to the journal in Volume 12 (2015).

Authors: Nick Crofts and Euan Lawson

Impact of blended treatment literacy and psychoeducation on methadone maintenance treatment outcomes in Yunnan, China

Outcomes of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in the management of opioid dependency can be impaired by poor adherence and retention, concomitant drug use, poor adjustment of methadone dosage, and low leve...

Authors: Bo Zhang, Thomas Cai, Zhihua Yan, Gitau Mburu, Bangyuan Wang and Liping Yang

Opioid tolerance in methadone maintenance treatment: comparison of methadone and levomethadone in long-term treatment

This study aimed to investigate the development of opioid tolerance in patients receiving long-term methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).

Authors: Stefan Gutwinski, Nikola Schoofs, Heiner Stuke, Thomas G. Riemer, Corinde E. Wiers and Felix Bermpohl

Alcohol abuse increases the risk of HIV infection and diminishes health status of clients attending HIV testing services in Vietnam

Vietnam is among those countries with the highest drinking prevalence. In this study, we examined the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and its associations with HIV risky behaviors, health care utili...

Authors: Bach Xuan Tran, Long Hoang Nguyen, Cuong Tat Nguyen, Huong Thu Thi Phan and Carl A. Latkin

Stakeholder perceptions and operational barriers in the training and distribution of take-home naloxone within prisons in England

The aim of the study was to assess potential barriers and challenges to the implementation of take-home naloxone (THN) across ten prisons in one region of England.

Authors: Arun Sondhi, George Ryan and Ed Day

Behavioral and quality-of-life outcomes in different service models for methadone maintenance treatment in Vietnam

Integrating HIV/AIDS and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) services with existing health care delivery system is critical in sustaining efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in large injection-driven epidemics. Howeve...

Authors: Bach Xuan Tran, Long Hoang Nguyen, Vuong Minh Nong, Cuong Tat Nguyen, Huong Thu Thi Phan and Carl A. Latkin

Assessment of health services for people who use drugs in Central Asia: findings of a quantitative survey in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

In Central Asia, there is a need to update information about the situation of people who use (opioid) drugs (PWUD), especially regarding their access to and utilization of health care services. The aim of the ...

Authors: Moritz Rosenkranz, Nina Kerimi, Madina Takenova, Antti Impinen, Mirlan Mamyrov, Peter Degkwitz, Heike Zurhold and Marcus-Sebastian Martens

Declining trends in the rates of assisted injecting: a prospective cohort study

Assisted injecting has been associated with increased risk of blood-borne infections, overdose, and other harms among people who inject drugs (PWID), particularly women. Given the changing availability of rele...

Authors: Jeanette Somlak Pedersen, Huiru Dong, Will Small, Evan Wood, Paul Nguyen, Thomas Kerr and Kanna Hayashi

Attitudes towards a maintenance (-agonist) treatment approach in high-dose benzodiazepine-dependent patients: a qualitative study

High-dose benzodiazepine dependence constitutes a major clinical concern. Although withdrawal treatment is recommended, it is unsuccessful for a significant proportion of affected patients. More recently, a be...

Authors: Michael Liebrenz, Marcel Schneider, Anna Buadze, Marie-Therese Gehring, Anish Dube and Carlo Caflisch

Mortality in the Melbourne injecting drug user cohort study (MIX)

There are few studies of mortality amongst people who inject drugs (PWID) in Australia. In this study, we estimate mortality in a cohort of PWID in Melbourne and examine predictors of mortality including healt...

Authors: Dhanya Nambiar, Paul A. Agius, Mark Stoové, Matthew Hickman and Paul Dietze

Pain, instability, and familial discord: a qualitative study into women who use drugs in Malaysia

Out of 20,887 persons who use drugs that came into contact with the National Anti-Drugs Agency (NADA) officials in the year 2013, 3.2 % were women. Because women who use drugs (WWUD) are often a hidden populat...

Authors: Fifa Rahman, Priya Lall, Sarah Iqbal and B. Vicknasingam

Why the FUSS (Fentanyl Urine Screen Study)? A cross-sectional survey to characterize an emerging threat to people who use drugs in British Columbia, Canada

Fentanyl-detected illicit drug overdose deaths in British Columbia (BC) recently increased dramatically from 13 deaths in 2012 to 90 deaths in 2014, signaling an emerging public health concern. Illicit fentany...

Authors: Ashraf Amlani, Geoff McKee, Noren Khamis, Geetha Raghukumar, Erica Tsang and Jane A. Buxton

Why the war on drugs in sport will never be won

Recent exposes of drug use in sports suggest that doping might be more problematic than doping-control test results reveal. A zero-tolerance (ZT) model, which aims to eliminate the use, has dominated the think...

Authors: Aaron C. T. Smith and Bob Stewart

Overdose prevention for prisoners in New York: a novel program and collaboration

This is a brief report on the establishment of a new program in New York State prisons to prepare prisoners to avoid the increased risks of drug overdose death associated with the transition to the community b...

Authors: Howard Zucker, Anthony J. Annucci, Sharon Stancliff and Holly Catania

Motivation for smoking cessation among drug-using smokers under methadone maintenance treatment in Vietnam

Smoking cessation treatment service is concerned to be a critical element in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in order to diminish the effect of smoke on health outcomes. To implement the smoking cessatio...

Authors: Bach Xuan Tran, Long Hoang Nguyen, Huyen Phuc Do, Nhung Phuong Thi Nguyen, Huong Thu Thi Phan, Michael Dunne and Carl Latkin

Risk environments facing potential users of a supervised injection site in Ottawa, Canada

Supervised injection sites (SISs) have been effective in reducing health risks among people who inject drugs (PWID), including those who face issues of homelessness, mental health illness, interactions with lo...

Authors: Ashley Shaw, Lisa Lazarus, Tyler Pantalone, Sean LeBlanc, Dolly Lin, Daina Stanley, Caleb Chepesiuk, Sheetal Patel and Mark Tyndall

Harm reduction in Asia and the Pacific: an evolving public health response

Authors: Nick Crofts and Tasnim Azim

The view from the trenches

Authors: Jimmy Dorabjee

Effects of publicly funded and quality of life on attendance rate among methadone maintenance treatment patients in Taiwan: an 18-month follow-up study

Methadone maintenance treatment programs (MMTPs) are important public health intervention to control the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the drug use problems. For expanding treatment coverage, publicly...

Authors: Kun-Chia Chang and Chung-Ying Lin