Harm reduction strategy as a way of saving lives - what opportunities are available in Georgia?
11.4 million people die worldwide each year as a result of addictive substance - drugs, tobacco and alcohol consumption.
Despite the fact, that a large portion of consumers are aware of the risks associated with consuming harmful substances, most of them are unable to liberate themselves from addiction.
That is why harm reduction strategies are very popular in the scientific fields. These strategies are enabling people to reduce the harm caused from consuming harmful products to their own body, as well as people around them and the environment, to become full members of society and to show their potential.
Harm reduction strategy is actively applied in Georgia as well.
Harm reduction and drug addiction
In 2019, the number of opioid users in the world was equal to 62 million. According to the World Health Organization, 500,000 people die as a result of drug use annually. 70% of fatalities are related to opioid use and 30% - to overdose.
According to 2016 data, the number of injecting drug users was equal to 52 500 in Georgia.
In order to reduce the risks associated with drug use, the Georgian healthcare sector is actively pursuing a harm reduction strategy aimed at preventing the spread of hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, HIV and STIs, and reducing overdose-related deaths.
To this end, harm reduction services for drug users are available in Georgia. The services imply replacement therapy.
In Georgia, opioid is substituted with methadone and subxone (Ednok) for drug users giving them the opportunity to prevent overdose.
In the process of harm reduction, the availability of a vital drug for the prevention of overdose - Naloxone, which is included in the list of vital medicines by the WHO, is also of great importance. Naloxone has been distributed among drug users in Georgia since 2009 by organizations specifically aimed at harm reduction. However, the consumption of the drug is limited in Georgia and it is issued only if prescribed.
Harm reduction and AIDS
According to the World Health Organization, 11 million people worldwide inject drugs. Injection is one of the main ways of spreading HIV. According to the World Health Organization, 1 out of 8 users is infected with HIV.
The spread of HIV is a significant challenge for the world health systems. At the same time this problem is actively discussed in Georgia.
According to the Georgian Center for Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology, by 2021 there were 9 124 HIV-infected people registered in the country, 35.5% of whom injected drugs.
In order to prevent the spread of the virus, Georgia has a program named "Provision of HIV prevention services for injecting drug users", which provides free sterile syringes to prevent the spread of life-threatening infectious diseases.
As a result of the policy aimed at preventing the spread of drug use and related diseases, it has become possible to save thousands of lives in Georgia.
It should be noted that the strategy of reducing tobacco harm can save tens of thousands of lives, although the Georgian legislative and health institutions do not recognize the effectiveness of the strategy of reducing tobacco harm.
Tobacco consumption and the effectiveness of harm reduction strategies
According to the Georgian National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, there are 800 000 smokers in the country, and 11 000 people die each year as a result of tobacco use. In order to avoid fatal consequences, the Georgian healthcare system offers consumers only one approach - quitting smoking.
However, it should be noted that 70% of smokers cannot or do not quit smoking.
To reduce the risks associated with traditional smoking, the world's leading countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, Sweden, and others, are actively implementing harm reduction strategies and helping to increase access to alternative tobacco products for smokers which makes it possible to save the lives of millions of people.
The main tools of the tobacco harm reduction strategy are: nicotine-containing patches, nicotine chewing gums and alternative tobacco devices - snus, tobacco heating devices and e-cigarettes.