Harm Minimisation: Three Pillars of Reducing Drug-Associated Effects in Australia

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HARM MINIMISATION
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Introduction
Harm minimisation is defined as an international approach that is primarily used to
report alcohol and additional associated drug problems by reducing the dangerous or adverse
effects of the drug and alcohol consumption in an individual and the society. This approach
was initially launched under the National Campaign against Drug Abuse (NCADA) in 1985,
which is currently known as the National Drug Strategy (Department of Health, 2019). The
National Drug Strategy 2017–2026, primarily focus to reduce the effect of AOD in the
community by using three different approaches of harm minimisation namely demand
reduction, supply reduction and harm reduction. Demand reduction is defined as the strategy
which aim to prevent the consumption of different harmful drugs by using media campaigns
or community development plans (Midford, Lester, Williams & White, 2018). Supply
reduction is defined as the strategy which aim to decrease the supply as well as invention of
different illicit drugs by using legislature and law implementation. Harm reduction is defined
as the strategy which focuses to decrease the adverse effects of drugs in both the community
and the individual by using peer education, needle syringe facilities and extensive
intervention. Hence, this essay critically analyse the three pillars of harm minimisation
approach on decreasing the drug-associated effects in Australia (Department of Health,
2019).
Three pillars of harm minimisation
Harm minimisation is the key federal and state governmental Australian policy after
the National Campaign against Drug Abuse, which was established in 1985. There are three
different approaches that is used as the pillars of harm minimisation approach, which focus
on decreasing the adverse effect of the drug and alcohol consumption in Australia particularly
within the community and the Australian families (Parliament of Australia, 2019). According

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to the National Drug Strategy (2019), harm minimisation program will aim to prevent and
reduce the adverse effect that is caused due to drugs in individual, family or community. The
impact of the three pillars of harm minimisation program are explained as follows:
Demand Reduction- Tobacco, alcohol and other associated drugs consumption is considered
as the multi-determined performance which is influenced by various environmental,
psychosocial and biological factors. According to White (2019), demand reduction is the
strategy that focuses on preventing the uptake of drugs or also delays the commencement of
tobacco, alcohol and other associated drugs. This strategy therefore influences the above
mentioned factors that will eventually prevent, reduce or delay of drug, tobacco or alcohol
use. The strategies used under demand reduction approach are as follows:
1. Advertising- Advertising is most widely use method that will help the families and
community of Australia to gain relevant knowledge regarding the adverse effect of
drug, tobacco or alcohol use. According to Chikritzhs & Toumbourou, (2015)
advertisement will aim to increase the awareness of harm minimisation approach and
educate the people to gain knowledge and understanding of the adverse effect that
they have in the health and wellbeing of the people. There are different types of
advertising method which is used by the Australian government namely magazine,
newspaper, television, radio, online and directories advertisement
2. Education at school- Education is another strategy that is included in the harm
reduction approach, which offers an extensive education focusing on the adverse
effect of illicit drug consumption, alcohol or tobacco use. The primary focus of this
education at school strategy is to improve and create a healthy culture for the children
and motivate them to avoid practice of any harmful drugs or alcohol. The young
children under adolescence phase (10-19 years) are more vulnerable towards