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Harm Reduction Experts Champion Autonomy Over Recovery

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Confronting Harm Reduction

Tuesday afternoon, Seattle Councilmember Sara Nelson (@CMSaraNelson ) picked apart “harm reduction” experts during a Public Safety and Human Services Committee meeting. She asked for data and metrics showing the effectiveness of this model in addressing the out of control drug addiction crisis and record fentanyl overdose deaths in King County. The panel made up of activists and academics couldn’t give her a straight answer.

Councilmember Lisa Herbold (@Lisa_Herbold) came to their rescue as Nelson’s direct questions brought up a lot of inconvenient truths. But the most stunning response came from Amber Tejada, with the Hepatitis Education Project: “I know it can be a little controversial, but one of the key tenets of harm reduction that I see is that we want to be able to facilitate and champion autonomy of people who use drugs. And so you know there are folks who don’t want to stop using drugs. There are folks for whom abstinence is not something by which they measure their success in life.”

In other words, the “harm reduction” lobby does not believe in intervention. Free will choice to do drugs is more important than recovery. Remind me again how this is working out for #Seattle and #KingCounty?

@MayorofSeattle @GovInslee @kcexec @CMTMosqueda @SeattleCouncil @KCCouncil @KingCoRHA

This is the Alternative Response to Harm Reduction

-Prevention

-Intervention

-Treatment

-Recovery

NORTH AMERICA RECOVERS https://northamericarecovers.org

No Questions Asked Unlimited Supply

Earlier this year, @weheartseattle ordered all these “harm reduction” supplies. Technically teens and kids in #Seattle can access all this stuff no questions asked.

Unending Drug Crisis

Teens and young people are now being targeted with drug paraphernalia, all in the name of “harm reduction.” We also need more anti-drug education programs in our classrooms. #Seattle

The Cost and Messaging of Harm Reduction

Despite easy access to harm reduction supplies including fentanyl test strips, NARCAN, meth pipes, and clean needles…King County still saw a record number of drug overdose deaths last year. #Seattle

Is Harm Reduction Really Working?

Advocates say it’s one of the best ways to keep people safe and alive. Critics say it’s enabling and making the problem worse. Here’s how #Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell responded.

Who Do You Think They’re Targeting?

The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance pushes provocative messages and photos on it’s social media pages.

Marketing to Drug Addicts

No sign of any recovery or treatment here. #Seattle

Jonathan Choe

Journalist and Senior Fellow, Center on Wealth and Poverty
Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy. Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entrepreneurship to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago. As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.