Joshua Bennett-Johnson argues for harm reduction, naloxone, syringe services, safer-use tools, autonomy, and dignity in addiction care.

Needle exchange programs are often debated from a distance. Michael Cline writes about them from the inside. He remembers using the Lower East Side Needle Exchange during active heroin addiction in the 1990s, learning safer injection practices, accessing clean supplies, and avoiding HIV. His piece is pro-harm reduction, but not simplistic. It asks what these programs can prevent, what they do not solve, and how they could connect more people to recovery.

Rob Kent, Esq. writes from nearly 20 years of work in state and federal drug policy, including his time as general counsel at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. In this Harm Reduction Series article, he explains how witnessing preventable loss changed his view of harm reduction and strengthened his belief in the full continuum of care. His central question is direct: how can we help people stay alive and get better?

Harm reduction is not permission to use. It is a practical plan to keep people alive long enough to have choices. John Makohen offers a direct, compassionate guide to building an overdose safety plan before the most dangerous moment arrives. He covers naloxone, fentanyl risk, reduced tolerance after a break, using a safety buddy, avoiding substance mixing, choosing a safer space, using clean supplies, and writing the plan down so people know what to do under stress.

What if addiction treatment didn’t start with abstinence? Dr. Andrew Tatarsky presents a model that meets people where they are, focusing on engagement, collaboration, and gradual change. This approach increases retention and creates real-world progress.

Psychedelic therapy is gaining momentum in modern mental health care—but the story isn’t simple. Joshua Bennett-Johnson, LADC-II, licensed counselor, explores both the promise and the complexity of this emerging field. Substances once dismissed are now being fast-tracked for conditions like depression, PTSD, and addiction.

Therapist Joshua Bennett-Johnson gives a critical breakdown of xylazine’s rise in the drug supply, its deadly interaction with fentanyl, and why traditional overdose response is no longer enough. Essential reading for clinicians and communities.

Harm reduction meets people where they are - without requiring abstinence as the starting point. Dr. Andrew Tatarsky's article explains how that shift expands treatment access and improves outcomes.

Ayahuasca ceremonies are gaining attention as a potential path for trauma healing and addiction recovery

A clear, compassionate explanation of harm reduction and why meeting people where they are saves lives and builds pathways to recovery.

Harm reduction challenges abstinence-only thinking by meeting people where they are. This article explores why compassion and flexibility save lives.

John Makohen shares a raw, powerful account of surviving homelessness, heroin addiction, and rebuilding life through harm reduction.