Utah organization urges harm reduction after executive order on fentanyl

After President Trump issued an executive order declaring illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, our team at SHRP spoke about harm reduction as a way to combat fatal overdoses and keep communities safe.

Check out the excerpt below, and click here for the full article from ABC 4 Utah.

Following Trump’s executive order designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, the Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project is emphasizing the importance of reducing risks in drug use.

On Monday, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order that designates illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) and further criminalizes its manufacturing and distribution.

The executive order also states that illicit fentanyl is a WMD because it’s like a chemical weapon and could be weaponized for large-scale terror attacks.

Following this executive order, the Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project (SHRP) is calling for those concerned about fentanyl to focus on reducing death from overdose by making drugs safer to use- a strategy called harm reduction.

“President Trump issued an executive order Monday designating illicit fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction. We find it disingenuous to do so just a few months after another order demonizing harm reduction,” said MacKenzie Bray, the executive director of SHRP, “Harm reduction is supported by over 30 years of data and is proven to reduce deaths from overdose and other harms from drugs like fentanyl.”

Some harm reduction strategies include providing drug test strips that can ensure drugs aren’t laced, distributing free naloxone, which can help reduce an overdose, and implementing community resources that can help those struggling with addiction.