Bringing Tobacco Harm Reduction Into Harm Reduction Spaces

​Featuring:

• ​[Moderator] Gaby Zabala Alemán, Project Manager, Tobacco Harm Reduction Education and Engagement (THREE), National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC)

• ​[Co-Moderator] Jessica Shortall, Strategic Partnerships Lead, Healthier Communities, R Street Institute

• ​Kevin Garcia, Substance Use Specialist, Points West Syringe Services Program, Jefferson County Colorado Public Health

• ​Cyndee Clay, Executive Director, HIPS

• ​Annie Kleykamp, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Director, Research and Evaluation, Maryland Addiction Consultation Service; Affiliated Faculty, The University of Maryland Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (UM-OAIC)

​From sterile syringes to naloxone to medications for opioid use disorder, harm reduction has long been a cornerstone of support for people who use drugs. It recognizes that people use substances for complex reasons, that abstinence doesn’t work for everyone, and that individuals can succeed when empowered to make “any positive change” toward wellness.

​But what about tobacco harm reduction? More than 75 percent of people who use drugs smoke cigarettes, compared to less than 10 percent of the general population. They are also more likely to die from smoking-related causes than from overdose and face unique challenges when trying to quit smoking.

​Join NHRC and the R Street Institute to hear from practitioners and people with lived experience who are bringing tobacco harm reduction into their work with people who use drugs. We’ll explore real stories, practical strategies, and the successes and challenges of integrating tobacco harm reduction in harm reduction spaces.