Undoing drugs : the untold story of harm reduction and the future of addiction

“Of the countless writers out there whose focus is addiction, no one can begin to touch the brilliance of Maia Szalavitz.” —Kristen Johnston, actress, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Guts, addiction advocate, founder of SLAM NYC Drug overdoses now kill more Americans annually than guns, cars, or breast cancer. But the United States has tried to solve this national crisis with policies that only made matters worse. In the name of “sending the right message,” we have maximized the spread of infectious disease, torn families apart, incarcerated millions of mostly Black and Brown people—and utterly failed to either prevent addiction or make effective treatment for it widely available. There is another way—one that is proven to work. However it runs counter to much of the received wisdom about substances and related problems. It is called harm reduction. Created by a group of people who use drugs and by radical public health experts, harm reduction offers a new way of thinking—one that provides startling insights into behavioral and cultural issues that go far beyond drugs. In a spellbinding narrative rooted in an urgent call to action, Undoing Drugs tells the untold tale of a quirky political movement that has unexpectedly shaken the foundations of world drug policy. It illustrates how hard it can be to take on widely accepted conventional thinking—and what is necessary to overcome this resistance. Ultimately, Undoing Drugs offers a path forward—led by characters who spent many years being dismissed as worthless, only to develop a breakthrough philosophy that can dramatically improve world health. Journalist And Author Of The New York Times Bestselling Unbroken Brain Tackles The Revolutionary Concept Of Harm Reduction, How It Can Transform The Treatment Of Addiction, And How It Holds The Potential To Revolutionize Our Treatment Of Behavioral And Societal Issues. In Her New York Times Bestseller Unbroken Brain, Journalist Maia Szalavitz Took An Unflinching Look At Addiction, Challenging The Idea Of The Broken Brain To Offer A Groundbreaking Perspective On Addiction As A Learning Disorder. Now She Turns Her Keen Eye And Narrative Powers To The Surprisingly Simple--and Extremely Divisive--practice Of Harm Reduction, Which Is A Revolutionary Means To Solving The Drug Addiction Crisis. Drug Overdoses Now Kill More Americans Annually Than Guns, Cars Or Breast Cancer. But In The Name Of Sending The Right Message, We Have Criminalized Drug Addiction, Denied Those Who Are Addicted Medical Care, Housing And Other Benefits, And Have Deliberately Allowed The Spread Of Fatal Diseases. Yet There Is An Alternative To Our Present System, One That Has Been Proven To Work, But Which Runs Counter To The Received Wisdom Of Our Criminal And Medical Industrial Complexes. It Is Called Harm Reduction. A Surprisingly Simple Idea With Enormous Power, Harm Reduction Takes The Focus Off Of Drug Use And Instead Works To Minimize Associated Damage. It Represents The Philosophy Behind Needle Exchange Programs And Providing Heroin Addicts With The Overdose Medication Naloxone Instead Of Arresting Them. It Is Focused Not On Punishing Pleasure But On Minimizing Harm; In Essence, It Is A Wholesale Refutation Of The American Way Of Justice. Undoing Drugs Tells The Story Of Harm Reduction. It Will Show How This Concept Has Begun To Transform The Treatment Of Addiction And How It Holds The Potential To Revolutionize How We Deal With A Range Of Other Urgent Behavioral And Societal Issues. Harm Reduction Challenges People To Prioritize Radical Empathy And Kindness Over Punishment As A Way Of Not Only Dealing With Drug Use, But Also In Questions Related To Racism, Sexism, Disability And Inequality. And, As Szalavitz Shows, It Says Unequivocally That We Must Be More Concerned About Saving Lives And Health Than About Criminalizing Quality-of-life Crimes. Szalavitz Argues For A Practical Application Of The Hippocratic Oath To First, Do No Harm Beyond Medicine And To Those Who Urgently Need It Most. "From "one of the bravest, smartest writers about addiction anywhere" (Johann Hari, New York Times bestselling author)-the untold story of harm reduction, a surprisingly simple idea with enormous power Drug overdoses now kill more Americans annually than guns, cars or breast cancer. But we have tried to solve this national crisis with policies that only made matters worse. In the name of "sending the right message," we have maximized the spread of infectious disease, torn families apart, incarcerated millions of mostly Black and Brown people- and utterly failed to either prevent addiction or make effective treatment for it widely available. There is another way, one that is proven to work. However, it runs counter to much of the received wisdom of our criminal and medical industrial complexes. It is called harm reduction. Developed and championed by an outcast group of people who use drugs and by former users and public health geeks, harm reduction offers guidance on how to save lives and improve health. And it provides a way of understanding behavior and culture that has relevance far beyond drugs. In a spellbinding narrative rooted in an urgent call to action, Undoing Drugs tells the story of how a small group of committed people changed the world, illuminating the power of a great idea. It illustrates how hard it can be to take on widely accepted conventional wisdom- and what is necessary to overcome this resistance. It is also about how personal, direct human connection and kindness can inspire profound transformation. Ultimately, Undoing Drugs offers a path forward- revolutionizing not only the treatment of addiction, but also our treatment of behavioral and societal issues"-- Provided by publisher Author’s Note Introduction 1 Facing AIDS 2 Undoing Powerlessness 3 Undoing Addiction 4 The Goddess of Harm Reduction 5 ACT UP and the Johnny Appleseed of Needles 6 The Trial of the Needle Eight 7 Exposing Racism in the Drug War 8 Housing Works 9 The Heiress and the Biker 10 Any Positive Change 11 Refining Harm Reduction 12 Undoing Overdose 13 Undoing Treatment 14 Come as You Are 15 Nothing about Us without Us 16 Undoing Tough Love 17 Undoing Pain Care 18 Undoing Overdose, Part 2 19 Undoing Divisions 20 Redoing Organizing 21 The American Challenge 22 Redoing the Future Acknowledgments