Harm reduction journal
August 9, 2023
Hagit Bonny-Noach, Barak Shapira, Pinchas Baumol et al.
9 citations
Among 1,206 Israeli nature rave party attendees surveyed online, the most common illicit substances used in the past year were cannabis (62.2%), LSD (41.4%), MDMA (31.7%), mushrooms/psilocybin (23.9%), ketamine (19.6%), and cocaine (17.2%). A weak but significant association appeared between harm reduction behaviors and positive attitudes toward harm reduction interventions (r = .26) and drug testing kits (r = .33). While positive harm reduction attitudes were higher, implementing corresponding behaviors proved more difficult. Stronger associations with high harm reduction behaviors included positive attitudes toward drug testing kits (odds ratio 4.53) and harm reduction interventions (odds ratio 4.06). Formal harm reduction policies and prevention programs are needed.
Harm reduction journal
November 5, 2024
Chris Wilkins, Jose Romeo, Marta Rychert et al.
8 citations
In a large online survey of 23,500 New Zealanders who used cannabis and at least one other substance in the same six-month period, substantial proportions reported that cannabis use led them to use less alcohol (60%), synthetic cannabinoids (60%), morphine (44%), and methamphetamine (40%). About seven out of ten said cannabis had no impact on their use of LSD, MDMA, or cocaine. One in five reported that cannabis led to more tobacco use. Co-use patterns varied by age, ethnicity, and lifestyle: young adults (21–35) were more likely to report reduced drinking and methamphetamine use, while Māori were more likely to report reduced use of alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine, and LSD.
Harm reduction journal
December 6, 2023
Yula Milshteyn, Moshe Bensimon
8 citations
Regular attendees of rave music parties in Israel who use psychedelic drugs report feeling insecure and anxious due to the government's strict drug ban policy, and they perceive stigma from law enforcement and society. Short-term negative experiences include hallucinations and disorientation, while positive experiences include intensified sensory perceptions, emotional release, self-acceptance, and a greater appreciation of life and nature. The study suggests that reducing police presence and adopting harm reduction policies could increase participants' sense of security, reduce stigmatization, and lower overdose risk.
Harm reduction journal
July 28, 2023
Théo Willeman, Nathan Grundig, Christine Pochon et al.
8 citations
Between February and September 2021, a study of 45 samples from 33 people who use 3-MMC in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, found that the purity of the powder ranged from 21% to 98%. Most users were male (91%), median age 40, and regular users who bought the drug online via the Clear Web. Intravenous use was reported by 15.2% of participants. Other drugs, including 4-CEC, 4-MMC, and 2-FDCK, were also detected. Drug testing was requested by 86% of users, indicating a strong desire for harm reduction services. The data suggest that drug-checking programs can help this population.
Harm reduction journal
March 21, 2024
Jai Whelan, Geoff Noller, Ryan D Ward
6 citations
MDMA is widely used in Aotearoa New Zealand and is the main drug analyzed by legal drug checking services. An online survey of 915 people who use MDMA (60.7% female, ages 18-65, median 24) found that most carried out harm reduction behaviors relatively frequently, but those who reported experiencing harm from MDMA or a substance mistaken for MDMA engaged in these behaviors less often. Reagent testing was used by 42.3% of the sample, and 27% had used KnowYourStuffNZ services, with 95.9% of clients learning about harm reduction and 53.3% changing their behavior. Harm was reported by 14.4% of the sample, primarily physical or psychological, and potential MDMA dependence was apparent in 6.9%. The findings emphasize the need for greater availability of drug checking services.
Harm reduction journal
October 18, 2024
Nicolas Fabresse, Eurydice Papias, Alma Heckenroth et al.
3 citations
Drug checking services use analytical methods to identify substances in samples from people who use drugs. A quantitative LC-UV method was cross-validated against a reference LC-HRMS method at the DrugLab in Marseille, France. Across 102 samples, differences between the two methods for each molecule were ≤20%, with significant correlations for cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, heroin, amphetamine, caffeine, acetaminophen, and levamisole. LC-HRMS gave lower concentrations for cocaine and acetaminophen but higher values for other substances. The results demonstrate that LC-UV is accurate and reliable for simple drug matrices in a harm reduction context, though ongoing proficiency testing is needed to monitor accuracy over time.
Harm reduction journal
May 23, 2024
Jai Whelan, Ryan D Ward, Geoff Noller
2 citations
MDMA is less harmful than many other drugs but still causes significant harms, including deaths. Sixty people who use MDMA in southern Aotearoa New Zealand, aged 18 to 67 (median 21), shared their views on harm and harm reduction in 14 focus groups. Five themes emerged: mindset and setting matter; looking after your body and mind and not overdoing it; other substances increase risk and harm; trusted friends and peers are protective; and valid information is key for healthy self-determination, with a subtheme that drug checking is essential harm reduction. These findings aim to inform national drug policy and improve harm reduction practices for consumers and organisations.
Harm reduction journal
February 6, 2026
Keaton Hudson-Buhagiar, Jonathan Brett, Alanah Spillane et al.
1 citation
Among heterosexual Australians who use GHB, three patterns of use—occasional, regular, or daily—emerged. Four key themes were identified: escapism (managing mental health symptoms, enhancing confidence, facilitating sex, and alleviating body consciousness in women); diverse understandings of overdose, including intentional dosing to achieve unconsciousness and misconceptions about using stimulants to counter toxicity, with fear of police delaying help-seeking; stigma from both drug-using and non-using peers; and gendered harm reduction practices where women protect each other from harms, especially sexual violence. Findings point to gaps in public health education on overdose management and intentional risk-taking.
Harm reduction journal
March 2, 2026
Cianna J Piercey, Joseph Cameron, Riley Ahern et al.
Kratom, a psychoactive botanical, is increasingly used in the United States. A survey of 102 participants (average age 22.34 years, 39.2% women) recruited from ethnobotanical tea bars in Northern Colorado found that 75.5% had experienced at least one adverse reaction. Adverse reactions most commonly occurred when kratom was consumed on an empty stomach, with certain foods, without adequate hydration, or combined with other substances. Participants used strategies like stopping or pacing use, adjusting hydration and food intake, and resting to mitigate reactions, though the effectiveness of these techniques remains unknown. The findings suggest that contextual factors may contribute to adverse reactions, highlighting the need for more research to inform harm reduction and public health messaging.
Harm reduction journal
February 14, 2026
Camilo Obregón-berg, Bruno Fuentealba-Donoso, Isidora Vidal et al.
At 22 electronic music events in Santiago, Chile, a peer-led drug-checking program analyzed 992 samples from attendees. Over 80% of samples expected to be MDMA contained MDMA, while 10% contained MDA instead and 8% were adulterated with methamphetamine. All cocaine samples contained cocaine, but 71% were adulterated. Ketamine was the only substance in 42% of ketamine samples; 33% contained ketamine and MDMA, 15% had ketamine plus other substances, and 10% had no detectable substances. Tusi samples varied widely. Excluding tusi, about 70% of samples matched expectations, 14% were adulterated, and 16% lacked the expected drug. The findings highlight the need for expanded harm reduction services in Chile.
Harm reduction journal
September 29, 2025
Yen-Chun Kuo, Sheng-Chang Wang, Chuan-Yu Chen
Illicit ketamine use is strongly linked to increased suicidality, especially among recent users. In a study of 379 people in northern Taiwan, recent ketamine users had four times higher past-month suicidality (95% CI 1.35–12.27) and past users had 3.4 times higher risk (95% CI 1.01–11.45) compared with those who never used ketamine. The prevalence of middle to high suicide risk was 10.8% among recent users, 5.0% among past users, and lower among non-users. Excess risk appeared exclusively in suicidal ideation. Street ketamine users also had higher rates of major depressive disorder, disadvantaged socioeconomic status, legal issues, and lifetime suicide attempts (25%). Even past users remain at higher risk, underscoring the need for suicide risk assessments in community drug services.