Policy paper on preventing risks and reducing harm linked to the use of psychoactive substances

Long perceived as an offense or a deviant behaviour, drug addiction is now widely acknowledged as a medical condition. As such, access to appropriate treatment for those who suffer from addictive behaviour is no privilege, it is a right. The right to equitable access to health care services derives from the fundamental right to health which is enshrined in international law, and especially in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

This policy paper provides a practical and widely applicable definition of risk and harm reduction.

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