Reducing Drug-Related Harms 

Reducing Drug-Related Harms 

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As a result of working this heroin project, I’ve become very involved with harm reduction. I do my best to keep clean syringes, as well as basic medical supplies while out in the streets photographing.

Reducing Drug-Related Harms 
Punchie, a 47 year old long-term heroin addict, cleans out his abscesses before applying fresh gauze pad.

While we all hope that every addict eventually finds their way into treatment, providing harm reduction supplies until an addict is ready to come in, is an important service that reduces health issues in the long run.

Photographically speaking, this was by far the most productive day that I’ve had since I started this heroin project. I shot three rolls of film, and right at 125 digital captures. I wish I could post more here, but they are for my forthcoming book.

I distributed another $75.00 in gauze and pads for abscesses, and showed a young kid who is following his brother around, how to use Narcan just in case of overdose. This kid does not use heroin himself, but his brother does. In fact, it looked as if his brother came close to overdosing right in front of us today.

Heroin Overdose
Potential Heroin Overdose – A young man checks on his older brother after injecting strong heroin, on top of prescription medications.
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