Harm Reduction Principles
Name 2 possible negative effects of stigma
- Feelings of guilt or shame
- Low self esteem
- Hopelessness and isolation
- Reluctance to ask for help or to get treatment
- Reluctance to use resources
- Lack of understanding by family and friends
- Fewer opportunities for employment
What drug is most frequently involved in overdose deaths in the United States? Be specific!
Fentanyl
What is the purpose of a drug interaction chart (especially for recreational)?
To identify the SEVERITY of interactions between different drugs
Why can overdoses (taking too much) be more common with weed when ingesting compared to smoking?
It takes less time to feel the effects of smoking and/or dosing can be more unpredictable with edibles
What is drug education that isn’t harm reduction called?
Abstinence [based education]
What law would protect people who are calling 911 about an overdose (in most cases) from being charged with drug possession/usage relating to the call
Good Samaritan law
What is one safety concern with fentanyl test strips?
There can be false negatives (that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them!)
What are 2 reasons why mixing stimulants (ex., cocaine, caffeine, amphetamines) and depressants (ex., alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids) can be dangerous?
- Can mask the effects of each other
- People are more likely to take too much
- People are more likely to engage in dangerous activities while underestimating intoxication
- Negative impact on heart
- Sometimes the drugs can stay in the body longer (like when alcohol and cocaine are mixed)
What do we inform students about in our presentations?
Information about the risks of specific drugs/circumstances and tools to reduce the amount of harm drugs can cause.
Why may people who have been abstinent be at high risk for overdose if they relapse?
Their tolerance decreases
What is the name of the tool you can use to consider the overall danger of a situation involving drugs?
Risk Set Setting
Name a drug that can be a pain reliever and prescribed to help with opioid withdrawal
Suboxone/buprenorphine or methadone