The Global State of Harm Reduction 2022

This is the eighth edition of the Global State of Harm Reduction. Every two years since 2008, Harm Reduction International (HRI) has mapped responses to drug-related health harms around the world, including HIV and viral hepatitis. The report has become a key publication for researchers, policymakers, civil society organisations, advocates and United Nations’ agencies interested in mapping harm reduction policy adoption and programme implementation globally.

The Global State of Harm Reduction has always been produced through a collaborative effort between community and civil society representatives and researchers. This year, we have expanded this collaboration, as all nine regional chapters are authored by regional experts. We hope that the involvement of these additional regional experts and harm reduction organisations has resulted in a more comprehensive, thorough analysis in the Global State of Harm Reduction 2022.

In this year’s report, dedicated chapters pay special attention to viral hepatitis and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we now report on Eastern and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa separately, reflecting the growth of harm reduction across Africa. We have also expanded our attention to include harm reduction for non-injected drugs and stimulants, for the first time collecting quantitative data on the availability of safer smoking kits and stimulant pharmacotherapy

In all our work, Harm Reduction International defers to and respects local and regional terminology preferences, and is committed to the use of nonstigmatising, accurate language. In this regard, we take our lead from the INPUD and ANPUD Language Statement and Reference Guide.a Furthermore, we are committed to being inclusive and anti-racist. We capitalise Black when used in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, and Indigenous when referring to the original inhabitants of a place.