Harm minimization approaches to drug misuse: current challenges in evaluation

Harm minimization approaches to drug misuse have become popular in recent years, particularly as a response to reducing the transmission of HIV among intravenous drug users. Harm minimization rests on the principle that many individuals will misuse drugs and that managing that misuse is more appropriate than attempting to stop use altogether. Such approaches are considered to be cost effective in comparison to treatment models which have abstinence as a goal, although the evidence is not available to make an assessment of this claim. This paper attempts to address the current challenges in relation to evaluating the efficacy of harm minimization approaches. It is argued that there is a need to more closely monitor the outcomes of harm minimization approaches to drug use and suggests ways in which this might be possible.