Harm Reduction Journal最新文献

{"title":"Harm reduction approaches for the use of benzodiazepines: a scoping review.","authors":"Caity Morrison, Isabella Natale, Antigone Branchflower, Craig Harvey, Robert M Lundin","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01310-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01310-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed but are associated with significant risks, particularly when used long-term. The anxiolytic and hypnotic properties of these medications increase their risk of dependence, which can lead to nonmedical and illicit use. Illicit use further compounds these harms, particularly with the emergence of potent novel benzodiazepines on the unregulated market. While tapering remains the standard treatment, not all individuals seek discontinuation. In such cases, harm reduction becomes a key approach to minimise associated risks. This review aimed to identify and synthesise existing harm reduction approaches for people using benzodiazepines.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A systematic search was conducted across four databases, PsycINFO (n = 183), MEDLINE (n = 345), Web of Science (n = 382), and Embase (n = 940), following the PRISMA guidelines. Searches were carried out between February 14 and March 30, 2024, using terms related to harm reduction and benzodiazepines. The search was re-run on July 7, 2025, using the same strategy across all four databases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-five studies were included and grouped into the following themes: direct interventions (n = 16), policy approaches (n = 9), and population-specific approaches (n = 10). Among direct interventions, drug checking was the most frequently reported approach, with advanced techniques improving the detection of novel benzodiazepines and prompting safer use practices. Benzodiazepine agonist prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic has yielded positive outcomes; conversely, policy responses such as rescheduling and prescribing changes indicated mixed results. While some studies reported reduced use and improved treatment engagement, others highlighted unintended consequences that may displace or exacerbate harm. Specific populations, such as young people, those who inject benzodiazepines, and members of online communities, highlight the diverse demographics of people who use benzodiazepines and emphasise the importance of developing tailored responses to address unique needs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Drug checking emerged as the most widely reported harm reduction approach for benzodiazepine use, with consistent positive outcomes across studies. Prescribing and policy interventions demonstrated variable impacts, often influenced by broader systemic factors. Critically, a clear gap remains in harm reduction approaches for those not seeking treatment, highlighting a need for inclusive, flexible and pragmatic responses. There is also a need for more robust evaluation of harm reduction interventions to strengthen the evidence base and inform practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"162"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145238557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"We knew it was coming: we didn't act\" perspectives from people who use drugs and substance use workforce on the impact of delays in implementation of the supervised injection facility and drug checking interventions.","authors":"Margaret R Hester, Jaclyn M W Hughto, Divya Ravikumar-Grant, Saoirse Nic Gabhainn","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01305-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01305-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Harm reduction techniques such as supervised injection facilities and drug checking are evidence-based strategies for reducing fatal overdoses. Despite the evidence in support of these interventions, Irish drug policy experienced delays in implementation of these strategies. This study considers the perceived impacts of delayed implementation of the supervised injection facility and drug checking in Ireland.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A purposive sample of people who use drugs and people from the substance use workforce were recruited for a total of 34 semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results show perceived direct and secondary impacts of delayed implementation of the supervised injection facility and drug checking. Direct impacts of delays include the absence of evidence-based practices forcing people who use drugs to adopt make-shift safety responses and compounding the inequalities they experience. Participants expressed concern for the lives that could have been saved if the supervised injection facility and drug checking had been implemented, and the unknown scope of health consequences due to delays. Secondary impacts of delays noted the difficulties to respond to current issues or new challenges in the drug markets. Over the period of waiting for these interventions, participants reported changes in the drug market and drug use which may have implications for the existing policies. Participants described navigating frustration with bureaucracy and concern for moving forward with harm reduction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Changes in drug use and drug markets occurred over a period of waiting for interventions to be implemented. Policymakers must consider adapting plans for a supervised injection facility to include inhalation space to meet the current needs of people who use drugs. Drug policy interventions must consider the populations most at risk, and should consider drug checking services outside of the festival setting. This study highlights that the nature of change in drug markets requires timely policy response and implementation. As drug markets become riskier, policymakers should consider framing overdose as a matter of public health urgency to facilitate timely harm reduction implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"160"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145238526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the role of street medicine in harm reduction: a case study of Street Medicine St. Louis.","authors":"Ari Gzesh, Jeremiah S Truel, Danielle R Adams, Luke Zabotka, Sara Malone, Nathanial S Nolan","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01313-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01313-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Homelessness results from, and exacerbates, various social determinants of health, including poverty, racism, and inadequate healthcare access, which are further compounded by physical and mental health challenges. The street medicine movement seeks to address these disparities by providing direct medical care and harm reduction services to unsheltered homeless in low-barrier settings. The development of trust is critical to providing this form of care. Few studies have sought to understand the factors influencing trust development in street medicine encounters.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This case study of Street Medicine St. Louis aims to explore the factors that influence trust and how trust development impacts unhoused individuals' perceptions and utilization of services and education provided by Street Medicine St. Louis. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 participants who receive harm reduction services from Street Medicine St. Louis. Participants were selected via purposive sampling from shelters, encampments, and street locations to ensure a diversity of experiences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings highlight that trust, built through consistent outreach, respectful interactions, and non-judgmental care, directly shaped participants' perceptions and utilization of harm reduction resources, including sterile syringes, fentanyl test strips, and naloxone. Trust facilitated greater receptivity to education and increased willingness to apply harm reduction practices.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Building trust through consistent, respectful, and person-centered outreach is essential for effective harm reduction interventions. Street medicine programs should prioritize relational approaches to enhance uptake and impact of harm reduction services among unhoused populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"161"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145238621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harm reduction practises for users of psychedelic drugs: a scoping review.","authors":"Carissa Dutton, Emily North, Ylona Chun Tie, Jessica Oliva, Petra Skeffington","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01264-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01264-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Psychedelic use in naturalistic settings in Australia is increasing. Although the risks and harms of psychedelics from a physical perspective are low, psychedelic drugs carry a unique psychological risk profile which is increased in uncontrolled settings. Harm reduction support services align with the Australian Government's Federal Drug strategy, which includes harm reduction as the third pillar in the overall harm minimisation approach to drug use for the period of 2017-2026. This study examined the harm reduction behaviours which users of psychedelics in naturalistic settings currently use, and any harm reduction interventions which have been developed for this population. A scoping review was undertaken using online databases, Psychinfo, Medline, CINAHL and Scopus. Articles were included if they explored or informed harm reduction practices for users of psychedelic drugs in naturalistic settings, which included articles that investigated motivations for psychedelic use. Twenty-seven papers were included, which contained only four intervention-based studies. Harm reduction or benefit enhancing strategies were categorised into three themes: before psychedelic use, during psychedelic experience and after the experience (integration). The review found that users of psychedelic drugs in naturalistic settings employ several different harm minimisation strategies, predominantly before and during use. Motivation for use, social setting and dosage amount were all found to influence the strategies used. There were a limited number of evaluated interventions for users of psychedelics in naturalistic settings, identifying the need for further research in this area. Challenges for harm reduction campaigns such as low uptake of drug checking services and low trust in government institutions were identified. Further research needs to consider the differing motivations of psychedelic users and recognise strategies that promote benefit enhancement and reduce risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"158"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495836/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differences in respiratory wheezing between current exclusive e-cigarette users, current exclusive cigarette smokers, and never users of either product: findings from a population-based study.","authors":"Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi, Najim Z Alshahrani, Lucia Spicuzza, Francesco Pennisi, Giulio Geraci, Giulio Giacono Cantone, Venera Tomaselli, Riccardo Polosa","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01315-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01315-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>E-cigarettes have emerged as an alternative to combustible cigarettes, yet their comparative impact on respiratory symptoms remains uncertain. We investigated cross-sectional differences in self-reported wheezing between current exclusive e-cigarette users, current exclusive cigarette smokers, and never-users of either product.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analysed data from 9000 adults aged ≥ 16 years in the 2017-2019 Scottish Health Survey. The exposure was current nicotine use status (exclusive cigarette smoking, exclusive e-cigarette use, or never-use), and the outcome was self-reported wheezing in the past 12 months. Binary multivariable logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), controlling for age, sex, area-level socioeconomic deprivation, longstanding illness, doctor-diagnosed asthma and COPD, self-rated general health, alcohol consumption, age of smoking initiation, and exposure to second-hand smoke.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to exclusive e-cigarette users, exclusive cigarette smokers had significantly higher odds of wheezing (adjusted OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.33-2.42, p < 0.001). Never-users had lower odds of wheezing than exclusive e-cigarette users, though the difference was not significant (adjusted OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.31-1.40, p = 0.275). Among exclusive cigarette smokers, the odds of wheezing increased with smoking intensity relative to exclusive e-cigarette users, indicating a dose-response relationship (χ² = 5.91, p = 0.018). Specifically, light smokers (< 10 cigarettes/day) had elevated but not significant odds (adjusted OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 0.92-1.89, p = 0.133), while moderate smokers (10-19 cigarettes/day) showed higher odds (adjusted OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.33-2.59, p < 0.001), and heavy smokers (≥ 20 cigarettes/day) had the greatest odds (adjusted OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.57-3.28, p < 0.001). Adjusted predicted probabilities of wheezing mirrored this pattern: compared with exclusive e-cigarette users, probabilities were significantly higher for moderate smokers (+ 7.2%, p = 0.002) and heavy smokers (+ 10.0%, p < 0.001), but not for light smokers (+ 3.0%, p = 0.152) or never-users (-3.9%, p = 0.306).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Exclusive e-cigarette use was not associated with higher odds of wheezing compared with never-use, and it was linked to substantially lower odds than exclusive cigarette smoking. These findings suggest that, while complete abstinence remains the lowest-risk option, e-cigarette use may pose fewer respiratory symptoms than smoking, particularly for moderate-to-heavy smokers.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"156"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495708/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Motivation and experiences of individuals with opioid use disorder and chronic pain using medical cannabis for 12 months.","authors":"Michelle R Lent, Karen L Dugosh, Kartik Varsani, Andrea Jonsson, Tyler Kung, Katherine E Galluzzi","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01306-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01306-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The objective of this qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of individuals living with opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain using medical cannabis (MC) for 12 months.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Perspectives were captured via 10 key informant interviews conducted after 12 months of treatment with MC RESULTS: Key themes identified regarding the reasons for initially pursuing MC included: (1) cannabis supply safety; (2) a desire to reduce or eliminate prescription medication usage for pain, OUD and mood; (3) to induce feelings of calm or relaxation; and (4) to improve levels of chronic pain. At 12 months, key themes identified surrounding their lived experiences with MC use were: (1) reductions in pain levels; (2) positive changes in emotional regulation and mood; (3) improvements in sleep quality and duration; and (4) reductions in cravings to use illicit drugs. The primary concerns expressed by interviewees surrounding MC use at 12 months related to changes in weight and appetite, and the cost of MC products.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These qualitative data provide targets for future quantitative investigations of the potential mechanisms by which MC can impact recovery in the context of OUD.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"155"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495752/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Platforms, risk perceptions, and reporting: the impact of illicit drug advertisements on social media among UK secondary students.","authors":"Ashly Fuller, Marie Vasek, Enrico Mariconti, Shane D Johnson","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01299-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01299-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The sale and advertisement of illicit drugs on social media is a rapidly evolving landscape. While existing research has focused on market structures, purchase strategies, and platform types, there is limited understanding of how viewing such content affects young people. This study aims to examine young people's experiences with illicit drug ads on social media and explore the relationship between exposure to these ads and their attitudes and behaviours towards drug use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted an online survey of students aged 13-18 (N = 1,151), distributed to UK schools by two drug education charities. Participants had a mean age of 14.7 years (SD = 1.28), and gender distribution was roughly equal (51% female, 47% male).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most participants encountered drug-related content on social media, with 29% having seen illicit drugs advertised for sale without actively searching for them. While Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok were the most common platforms for these ads, rates of exposure per unit of time were found to vary across platforms. Exposure to drug safety advice differed across platforms, with participants reporting encountering drug safety advice more frequently than illicit drug ads on TikTok for example, highlighting the potential for leveraging social media to promote drug safety. We also find significant associations between young people's exposure to content and decreased risk perceptions, along with increased interest in and intention to buy illicit drugs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our research is the first to provide a detailed understanding of platform exposure to illicit drug ads on social media, highlighting the need for research across diverse platforms. Despite our findings, the impact of exposure to drug ads remains unclear. We advocate for a new approach to studying this issue, integrating an online safety perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"154"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495684/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and correlates of previous adult imprisonment among Australians who primarily smoke methamphetamine: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Anna Peters, Bernadette Ward, Rebecca Kippen, Michael James Leach, Michael Curtis, Paul Dietze","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01307-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01307-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Australia, methamphetamine use is a significant public health concern, and is common among people involved with the criminal justice system. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of adult imprisonment history among adults who primarily smoke methamphetamine.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted using baseline data from 'VMAX', a cohort of adults who regularly use methamphetamine. Data were collected between June 2016 and March 2020 from 718 participants. Sampling methods included convenience and respondent-driven sampling. Prison exposure was measured by asking if participants had ever been imprisoned due to a conviction (and was distinguished from juvenile detention). Logistic regression was used to examine how this correlated with socio-demographics, drug use, mental health, and criminogenic characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nearly one-third (30%) of 718 participants reported having been imprisoned. Increased odds of reporting a history of imprisonment were found for participants reporting older age, male gender, non-metropolitan residential location, past-year homelessness, not being currently employed, schooling ≤ Year 9, ≥ weekly methamphetamine use, past-year illicit opioid use, injecting drug use history, and juvenile detention history. In contrast, participants reporting past-year other illicit stimulant (cocaine, ecstasy, illicit pharmaceutical stimulant) use were less likely to report a history of imprisonment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Social characteristics, patterns of drug use, and juvenile detention history were found to be correlated with imprisonment history. These findings point to the importance of providing targeted services to address characteristics of social disadvantage and drug use behaviours among people who use drugs, including among people who primarily smoke methamphetamine.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"157"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495676/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interventions for stimulant use in people who are homeless or vulnerably housed: a scoping review of the evidence including trauma-informed approaches.","authors":"Nicole E Edgar, Housam Taha, Valentina Ly, Simon Hatcher","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01311-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01311-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Stimulant use has been increasing globally over the past decade. People using drugs are now most often using both opioids and stimulants. In Canada, stimulants were involved in 68% of overdose deaths from 2020 to 2024. The overdose crisis has disproportionately impacted people experiencing homelessness. People experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience an overdose and stimulants are more likely to contribute directly to an overdose death in this population. Despite the growing need, a comprehensive and effective treatment program for people experiencing homelessness who use stimulants, that also considers trauma and safe supply options, is non-existent. We conducted a scoping review to identify the types of evidence-based treatments available to address stimulant use in people experiencing homelessness; whether any of these services were trauma-informed; and to identify knowledge gaps.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a peer-reviewed search strategy, we conducted searches in MEDLINE, Embase, PsychInfo via OVID, CINAHL, Global Health via EBSCOhost, and Scopus. Grey literature sources were hand searched. We included any primary research study with no restrictions on language or date. Reporting follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After de-duplication, 2914 titles and abstracts were screened, and 51 papers were moved to full text screening. Of this, 31 studies met eligibility criteria and were included for data extraction. Papers examined contingency management interventions (n = 20), residential treatment programs (n = 5), safer supply (n = 1), and other types of interventions (n = 4). Of the 31 papers, no studies reported using trauma-informed care approaches, although, seven incorporated some components of trauma-informed care. There was mixed evidence of effectiveness among studies, with rewards-based contingency management being generally effective and acceptable to participants.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>There is limited evidence available regarding stimulant use treatments for people experiencing homelessness, with most studies focusing on contingency management. Studies largely do not consider the effects of trauma in their intervention or study design. Further research is needed on harm reduction interventions such as stimulant safer supply or supervised consumption services, as well as outcomes other than abstinence that may be important to this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"159"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12495831/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Motivations underlying co-use of benzodiazepines and opioids in the UK: a qualitative study.","authors":"Gabriele Vojt, Hannah E Family, Hannah Poulter, Chris P Bailey, Damiana Cavallo, Ana Paula Abdala Sheikh, Sara Karimi, Nick Booth, Peter Da Silva, Louise Aitken, Samantha Stewart, Matthew Hickman, Graeme Henderson, Jennifer Scott, Joanna M Kesten","doi":"10.1186/s12954-025-01312-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12954-025-01312-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Drug-related deaths have substantially increased over the past decade in the UK, particularly in Scotland. Co-use of opioids and benzodiazepines (prescribed and/or illicit) is contributing to rising mortality. This study identified motivations in people's co-use with the aim of informing prescribing and harm reduction interventions to address drug-related deaths.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We interviewed 48 people who co-use opioids and benzodiazepines and/or z-drugs (zopiclone and zolpidem) in Glasgow (n = 28), Teesside (n = 10) and Bristol (n = 10). Most participants self-identified as male (n = 37, 77%), white (n = 45, 94%) and had a mean age of 43 years (range: 25-61 years). The majority reported at least one overdose experience, and poor mental health including trauma. Interviews were semi-structured, conducted by an academic and/or peer researcher, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants' motivations for co-using mapped onto two interlinked meta-themes: (1) Functional motivations included co-using to augment drug effects, self-medicate or help to generate income. (2) Experiential motivations described participants' desires to achieve a 'buzz' (feeling energised), 'glow' (feeling comforted), 'oblivion' (escaping trauma and adversity), and 'gouching' (physical and mental sensations of ebbing in and out of glow and oblivion). Functional and experiential motivations were dynamic, interrelated and often co-occurred.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The importance of assessing motivations to co-use should be routinely recognised as part of harm reduction and medication assisted treatments to reduce mortality risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":12922,"journal":{"name":"Harm Reduction Journal","volume":"22 1","pages":"152"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12482596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145191128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}