A drug using harm reductionist's guide for evidence-based functional substance use integration
Access to adequate healthcare and medical information is elusive to many. Combined with nonsensical laws and various stigma and biases, there’s an overwhelmingly high prevalence of self-medication practices with drugs and other substances. These are practices that are rarely discussed with healthcare practitioners, if one has access to primary care at all for a myriad of reasons, primarily due to the lack of education practitioners have on these subjects and the consequences clients may face for disclosing such information.Substance use is often seen as a hindrance or a magic quick fix to challenges or problems in our lives. It doesn’t hold value to the general population unless it’s “curing” something from a clinical standpoint. Nobody is using substances to suffer, we all are looking to receive the maximum benefits from substance use, and with honest, evidence-based information can minimize risks.