Harm reduction
KNOW MORE.
RISK LESS.
Substance use always carries risk. Clear information, a plan, and people who know how to help can reduce harm when someone chooses to use.
This guide is practical, not preachy. It is not medical advice, and no precaution can make an unregulated substance completely safe.
SIX THINGS WORTH PLANNING.
Good decisions are easier to make before the moment arrives. Read, prepare, and share the plan with someone you trust.
- 01
Know what you are dealing with
Learn the expected effects, duration, common risks, and warning signs. Treat uncertain contents or strength as a real risk.
- 02
Check the contents
Use a local drug-checking service when available. A test describes only the sample tested and cannot guarantee a whole batch.
- 03
Start with less. Wait longer.
Potency can vary. Avoid rapid re-dosing, especially with an unfamiliar product, route, or batch.
- 04
Do not use alone
Stay with people you trust, including someone able to recognize an emergency, call for help, and use naloxone.
- 05
Mind the mix and setting
Mixing substances makes effects harder to predict. Choose a familiar place, plan a safe ride, and do not drive.
- 06
Make room for aftercare
Rest, eat, hydrate, and check in. Contact a health professional when physical or mental effects continue or worry you.
A combination is not just a sum
MIXING CHANGES THE RISK.
Alcohol, prescription medication, and other substances all count. Combining opioids with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other depressants can sharply increase overdose risk. Other combinations can mask warning signs or produce unpredictable effects.
The clearest option is not to mix.About testing
A REPORT IS A SNAPSHOT.
Laboratory reports and drug-checking tools can add useful information, but they do not remove risk. Match the substance, sample or batch reference, collection date, method, and result before relying on a document.
View lab reportsBUILD A SAFER SETTING
- Choose your people. Stay with trusted company and agree on who will get help.
- Bring the basics. Keep a charged phone, water, naloxone, and essential health information nearby.
- Plan the exit. Arrange transportation and a quiet place to rest before plans begin.
- Check in. Speak up when something feels off; waiting out a medical emergency is never safer.
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