The National Harm Reduction Coalition, previously known as the Harm Reduction Coalition, is an American advocacy organization for people who use drugs.[1]
History
editThe NHRC emerged from a Harm Reduction Working Group (HRWG) organized in 1993 by Francie and Stephanie Comer, Dan Bigg, George Clark (head of San Francisco's needle exchange), and Dave Purchase.[2] Many of the attendees at the first meeting had worked with (or founded) needle exchanges in different cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and New York.[3] Many were current or former injection drug users.[4] Several of the HRWG's original participants had also been involved with ACT UP.[5]
The HRC itself was founded in San Francisco in 1994, moving to New York City soon after.[6] 700 people attended the HRC's first conference, held in Oakland in 1996.[7] The HRC was initially led by George Clark.[8] Allan Clear was the NHRC's executive director from 1995 until 2016, when he left to take a job in the New York State government.[9][6] Clear was replaced by Monique Tula, formerly Vice President of Programs at AIDS United.[10][11] Laura Guzman, an Argentinian-American lawyer who had worked for the HRC since 1995, became the executive director in 2023.[12][13][14]
In 2020 the HRC rebranded as the National Harm Reduction Coalition and revamped its website.[15]
References
edit- ^ Chavez, Janelle (2023-03-29). "Congress moves to make xylazine a controlled substance". CNN. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ Szalavitz 153
- ^ Szalavitz 153-55
- ^ Szalavitz 153
- ^ Szalavitz 153-54
- ^ a b Richardson, Lynda (3 March 2004). "PUBLIC LIVES; from Punk Rock and Drugs to the War on H.I.V." The New York Times.
- ^ Szalavitz 186
- ^ "Two Decades of Positive Change: A Brief History of the Harm Reduction Coalition - Comer Family Foundation (En-US)".
- ^ "Allan Clear is New York State Director of Drug User Health". Poz. 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Monique Tula, Vice President of Programs, to leave AIDS United". AIDS United. 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Szalavitz, Maia (2018-02-05). "Women Are Leading the Fight Against the War on Drugs". VICE. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Wild, Elyse (2023-05-21). "Tribal Nations Turn to Harm Reduction in Battle Against Opioids". Native News Online. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "Laura Guzman from the Harm Reduction Coalition". National Overdose Prevention Network. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Coalition, National Harm Reduction (2023-08-31). "NHRC OFFICIALLY NAMES LAURA GUZMAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR". National Harm Reduction Coalition. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Straube, Trent (2020-09-03). "Here's What the Future of Harm Reduction Looks Like". POZ. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
Sources
edit- Szalavitz, Maia. Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction. Hachette Books. 2022.