It is possible, however, that expanding attempts to publicly promote injection hygiene and teach safer injection might cause programs to run afoul of the Russian federal law that makes it illegal to promote drug use [ 59].
And Philadelphia officials in January announced their support for a safe injection sites program.
Worst of all, it negates the sound science behind interventions like safer injection spaces or heroin prescription programs.
Some examples of harm reduction are widely accepted in societies worldwide, while others are much more controversial and are the subject of heated political and moral debate - for example: needle exchange programs, safe injection sites, and heroin maintenance programs.
Since several countries have shown that safer injection facilities are effective in reducing harms and encouraging IDUs to enter detoxification and OST [ 48], these programs are increasingly being recognized as an intervention worth including in the HIV prevention arsenal.
They have also resulted in higher reporting of safer injection practices such as needle disinfection [19], [20], [22], [24], [28], [34], [38] and increased enrollment in drug treatment programs [21], [22], [27], [30], [38], [39].
As such, evidence-based prevention programs tailored toward PWID would benefit from targeting this population soon after injection initiation to establish safer injection practices early and to stop drug use while the habit is still new.
But Mr. Lucero has recently become a popular — and, he would argue, safer — injection buddy.
(This is one way safe-injection facilities could help; another is providing test strips and other supplies that could bolster safer injection outside designated spaces).
"As far as safer injection sites, we think they would save lives".
