“War on drugs” has harmed public health and human rights, finds new analysis

Iacobucci, Gareth

doi:10.1136/bmj.i1742

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, the research activity may be influenced by the recognition that criminalization and punitive approaches have proven ineffective in reducing drug-related harms and have contributed to the stigmatization and marginalization of drug users. Harm reduction provides an alternative framework that emphasizes public health, human rights, and social justice, which resonates with researchers, policymakers, and advocates seeking more humane and effective solutions [ 41 – 43 ]. The research output in these journals reflects the interdisciplinary nature of harm reduction, drawing on fields such as public health, medicine, social sciences, and policy studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis and mapping of harm reduction research in the context of injectable drug use: identifying research hotspots, gaps and future directions

Sweileh

2024

Harm Reduct J

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Background Harm reduction is a crucial approach in addressing the multifaceted challenges of injectable drug use. This paper presents an analysis and mapping of the existing literature on harm reduction research in the context of injectable drug use. By reviewing a comprehensive set of scholarly articles, this study identifies research hotspots, knowledge gaps, and future directions in the field. The findings provide valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to guide future research efforts and inform evidence-based harm reduction interventions. Methods Data for the study was obtained from the Scopus database, using keywords and phrases related to harm reduction and injectable drug use. Validation methods were employed to verify the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the search strategy. Data analysis involved identifying growth patterns, key contributors, mapping frequent terms, identifying research hotspots, and identifying emerging research directions. Results A total of 971 articles were found, with a notable increase from 2015 to 2022. The International Journal of Drug Policy (n = 172, 17.7%) and the Harm Reduction Journal (n = 104, 10.7%) were the most prolific journals, and the United States (n = 558, 57.5%) had the highest number of publications. The Johns Hopkins University (n = 80, 8.5%) was the most prolific institution. Mapping of frequent author keywords revealed the main keywords, including harm reduction, HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid overdose. The highly cited articles cover a broad time span and focus on topics like naloxone distribution, HIV and hepatitis C transmission, while recent articles concentrate on emerging issues such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, fentanyl-related concerns, stigma reduction, and needle and syringe programs. Both sets of articles share a common focus on harm reduction strategies, but recent publications highlight current challenges and developments in the field. Conclusions This study provides insights into research landscape on harm reduction in injectable drug use. Research is concentrated in high-income countries, emphasizing the need for more research in low- and middle-income countries. Recent publications focus on emerging challenges like COVID-19 and fentanyl. Research gaps highlight the need for studies in diverse populations, social determinants, program evaluation, and implementation strategies to enhance harm reduction interventions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis and mapping of harm reduction research in the context of injectable drug use: identifying research hotspots, gaps and future directions

Sweileh

2024

Harm Reduct J

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“…Furthermore, as important as effective harm reduction-based public policies are, there is a need to train conscious, qualified, dedicated, and informed health professionals who understand how to deal with social groups that may be ignored by society in order to modify the health care environment to make it more democratic, fair, and less oppressive and excluding. This effort is also significant in light of the fact that the worldwide war on drugs is failing (Amèrica-Simms, 2011;Csete et al, 2016;Iacobucci, 2016). Repressive activities toward users hamper public health policies aimed at reducing drug consumption, overdose deaths, and other negative repercussions of drug use, such as HIV/AIDS transmission.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The body and the law: a general view of a place for health in the current prohibitionist approach to drug dependence in Brazil

Nobre

Kurihara²

2023

haaj

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This article evaluates the Brazilian prohibitionist public policy for dealing with drug addiction and drug-related pro- blems, with a focus on whether this approach is adequate for addressing the issues surrounding drug misuse. We attempt to shed light on this topic by highlighting several aspects of drug effects on drug-addicted body systems, be- havior, and personality, as well as reviewing current neuroscientific research centered on the study of drug addiction disorders, with a particular emphasis on the motivational mechanisms underlying drug use, abuse, and withdrawal. We conclude that promoting and enforcing regulatory measures, laws, and other public health strategies aimed at combating drug addiction can only be accomplished with an understanding and acceptance that the drug severely interferes in the physical, emotional, and cognitive domains, imprisoning the subject in the uncontrolled motivation that drives him toward the drug. The goal of this report is to explore this ambiguity in light of the harm reduction proposal for dealing with the drug addiction phenomenon. When evaluating existing public policies in the field of drug addiction, the harm reduction strategy appears to be more appropriate in the context of health promotion, especially when considering drug addicts’ idiosyncrasies.

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“…D'autres auteurs ont déjà observé que ces lois sur les drogues, dont l'objectif initial était d'améliorer la santé publique, ont en fait engendré « une violence mortelle, la dissémination de maladies transmissibles, la discrimination, les déplacements forcés, des douleurs physiques inutiles, en plus de saper le droit humain à la santé ». [2][3][4] Ces lois ont d'énormes implications pour l'anesthésie, les soins intensifs et la prise en charge de la douleur dans le monde. Elles se nourrissent d'une bureaucratie excessive qui, en réalité, rend quasi impossible le respect des lois et l'accès à ces médicaments dans les contextes où les ressources sont rares.…”

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“…Other authors have found that these drug laws that were intended to improve public health have resulted in ''lethal violence, communicable disease transmission, discrimination, forced displacement, unnecessary physical pain, and the undermining of people's right to health''. [2][3][4] These laws have huge implications for anesthesia, critical care, and pain management globally. Their establishment has created an excessive bureaucracy that effectively makes it almost impossible in low-resource settings to comply with regulations and ensure access to these medicines.…”

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confidence: 99%

The “war on drugs” you did not hear about: the global crisis of access to essential anesthesia medications

Bould

Enright

2017

Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth

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“War on drugs” has harmed public health and human rights, finds new analysis

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Analysis and mapping of harm reduction research in the context of injectable drug use: identifying research hotspots, gaps and future directions

Analysis and mapping of harm reduction research in the context of injectable drug use: identifying research hotspots, gaps and future directions

The body and the law: a general view of a place for health in the current prohibitionist approach to drug dependence in Brazil

The “war on drugs” you did not hear about: the global crisis of access to essential anesthesia medications

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