Abstract
In 2021, New Zealand sanctioned a harm reduction approach to recreational illicit drug use through the passage of the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Act, which made drug checking legal. Though this move could be seen as a move towards recognising the importance of harm reduction and the need for drug law reform, the New Zealand political landscape surrounding harm reduction for people who use drugs (PWUD) remains contentious. Drug policy has long been shaped by the capriciousness of political, social and moral forces, and hegemonic notions about the superiority of abstinence. Though a harm reduction narrative is the current trend internationally, how this narrative is translated into services for PWUD and the context for implementation of such services matters greatly. Harm reduction policy and practices that place the interests of society in opposition to, or above, the harms to users has the consequence of further excluding or ‘othering’ PWUD. Drawing on current literature in the area of harm reduction and drug use, and the preliminary findings from two recent qualitative studies undertaken in New Zealand and United Kingdom, this paper traces the controversies and biopolitics of harm reduction for PWUD.
Presenters
María-Victoria Pérez-y-PérezSenior Lecturer, Human Services, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Harm Reduction, Biopolitics, Illicit Drug Use, Stigma, Discrimination, Controversies
