Harm Reduction

Harm reduction lowers the risk of such as HIV and Hepatitis C, as well as playing a vital role in the opioid overdose response.

The modern harm reduction movement was a response to the HIV-AIDS crisis in the 1980s and grew out of civil disobedience and grassroots advocacy among communities of people who used drugs.

Providing access to resources and services that make substance use safer does not encourage more use. Decades of research have shown that some harm reduction helps prevent fatal overdoses. It also lowers rates of infectious disease. People who use syringe service programs are more likely to get treatment and stop using substances.

PRINCIPLES OF HARM REDUCTION

  • A non-judgmental approach that meets people where they are at

  • Treating all individuals with dignity, compassion, and respect

  • Opposition to the stigmatization of substance use disorder

  • Use of evidence-based policy and practice

  • Accepting behavior change as an incremental process. Small gains for many people have more benefit for a community than large heroic gains achieved for a select few. People are much more likely to take multiple tiny steps rather than one or two huge steps

  • Inclusion of individuals in active addiction, in recovery, and within the community to shape policies and practices

  • Focus on quality life improvements over abstinence

  • Commitment to universal human rights

  • Empowerment of the individual as the primary agent responsible for reducing the harms related to their substance use

Sea Change Harm Reduction Support + Services

Our Harm Reduction program is focused on helping our community stay safe and healthy. We provide free supplies to individuals who use drugs or know someone who does so that there are no barriers to accessing materials that promote safe drug use. We want you to know we're here to support you and your loved ones. Our program is designed with empathy and care, and we're always here to listen and help however we can.

Available Supplies

  • Naloxone

  • Fentanyl and Xylazine test strips

  • Safer injection supplies syringes, cookers, alcohol pads, cottons, and tourniquets.

  • Safer smoking supplies, including bubble or stem pipes

  • Injection alternative supplies

  • Safer sex supplies, including condoms + Plan B 

  • Sharps containers

  • Wound care and Hygiene kits

Harm reduction supplies can be requested Monday through Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. 

Additional Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Harm reduction is backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a proven way to prevent opioid overdose and improve health and safety. 

Read the CDC Fact Sheet on Syringe Service Programs.

Not One More

Our communities are on the frontlines of the overdose crisis, but we imagine a world where we treat each other with care. A world where people aren’t locked away for their mistakes but are offered a way to heal. We are people who use drugs, people in recovery, and loved ones of people with substance use disorder, and we are dedicated to taking action to end the overdose crisis. We fight for access to healthcare, treatment, and harm reduction tools that meet us where we’re at, are evidence-based and affordable, and empower every New Jerseyan who struggles with addiction to live healthier lives. 

We have monthly virtual meetings for anyone looking to get involved in the fight and build community together. New members are always welcome.

We meet every second Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. – join us by RSVP’ing at njorganizing.us/notonemorenjmtg