Harm Reduction as an Alcohol-Prevention Strategy

Harm-reduction programs, first developed in an attempt to mitigate the adverse consequences of illicit drug use, can be applied to alcohol-prevention programs as well. In fact, the movement toward harm reduction in illicit drug prevention may be closely paralleled by a similar trend in the alcohol-prevention field. Harm-reduction approaches to alcohol aim to diminish the negative consequences of intoxication (e.g., by using special glassware that breaks into fine particles instead of sharp pieces, thus reducing the chance of injury during pub fights). Such measures may receive increased attention as public support declines for restrictions on alcohol availability and new evidence emerges on the potential benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. In addition, analyses suggest that harm reduction may be an efficient approach, because it often focuses on minimizing heavy-drinking occasions, which predict drinking problems more strongly than level of consumption.