ASP020: Harm Reduction, Why Needle Exchanges Programs Are Needed, and more…

Show Notes for this episode are at addictionsupportpodcast.com/episode20

Overview:

My guest this week is Haley Coles of Sonoran Prevention Works.  (www.spwaz.org)  Haley is an Addiction Advocate and a Harm Prevention Professional.  In this episode, she explains what harm reduction is and why we need to be concerned about harm reduction.  She reviews how to safely clean up needles, and what you should do if you are stuck by a used needle.  In Arizona, we currently do not have a way for people to safely dispose of used needles nor do we have a needle exchange program.

Listen to Haley share how she's been able to help an addict get treatment through her work.  She gives her advice based on evidence-based studies.  She has not seen "hitting rock bottom" work for a lot of people.  She has seen people succeed through love and support.  If someone is using, their friends and family members should know in case an overdose does occur.

We also discuss what to do when someone does od on heroin or any opioid, how to make sure they get treatment, and how to keep yourself from being arrested in states that do not protect Good Samaritans.

Resources:

Sites Mentioned -

Sonoran Prevention Works (in Arizona)

Harm Reduction Coalition (National in the US)

Click on the images below to review, download & print out the resources that Haley mentioned in this episode.

Shelly's Story from North Carolina Harm Reduction on Vimeo.

Thank you for Listening!

Thank you so much for joining me this week. Have some thoughts you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The Addiction Support Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, help more people find us, and I read each and every one of them.

If you would like to email me, head on over to OakCreekWellness.com/contact.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Special thanks to Haley Coles for joining me this week.  Until next time!