Jiang Wanan and Shen Boyang launch anti-drug offensive and defense! Experts believe that "harm reduction" does not mean indulging in drug abuse; the picture shows a situational photo. (Picture taken from freepik)
[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Boyang's 2014 article on drugs was recently uncovered by the Blue Camp, which questioned his anti-drug stance. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wanan emphasized last night that "there is no room for ambiguity in the fight against drugs." The confrontation between the two parties has aroused social concern. Chen Yuxiong, a psychiatrist at Taipei City United Hospital Kunming Prevention and Treatment Center and Linsen Traditional Chinese Medicine Kunming Campus, said at the Taiwan Science and Technology Media Center (SMC) that since Taiwan promoted the harm reduction plan in 2005, the HIV epidemic related to injection drugs has dropped significantly, with a drop of more than 99%. The original article by Shen Boyang attaches great importance to the social situation and assistance needs of users, which has public health significance worthy of discussion.
Chen Yuxiong said that methadol is a long-acting opioid agonist drug for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Maintenance treatment not only relieves withdrawal in the short term, but also reduces cravings and illegal opiate use, reduces the risk of death, and helps patients stabilize their lives. Cleaning needles is another harm reduction measure used to reduce HIV and viral hepatitis (hepatitis B, C, etc.) infections caused by shared needles; providing needles does not mean providing drugs, nor does it mean allowing on-site injections. Research does not show that full needle services increase illicit drug use or crime.
He mentioned that since Taiwan launched a harm reduction program in 2005, the HIV epidemic related to injection drugs has dropped significantly, by more than 99%, and Taipei City also has a cleaning needle service. Shen Boyang's original article attaches great importance to the social situation and assistance needs of users, and has public health significance worthy of discussion; the foreign substance supply measures mentioned in it should be separately explained according to applicable objects, medical supervision and regulations, and are not directly equivalent to comprehensive legalization.
He believes that protecting campuses and communities, detecting illegal supplies and supporting harm reduction treatment can go hand in hand. Politicians can review policies, but they should avoid portraying treatment and infection prevention as encouraging drug use and discouraging patients from seeking help. Addicts are members of the community and should not be deprived of medical care due to political attacks.
What is harm reduction? Chen Juanyu, a professor at the National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University's Institute of Public Health, said at the Taiwan Science and Technology Media Center (SMC) that harm reduction (harm reduction) uses empirical measures to reduce the health and social harm of drug use to individuals, families and communities. Even if use has not been stopped, risks can still be reduced through cleaning needles, treatment, infection screening and overdose prevention. For the frontline, harm reduction is the starting point for building trust, understanding needs, and assessing readiness for change; for clients, it is not necessary to abstain first to receive care, and services should also respond to psychological, financial, and caregiving pressures.
