Using data to help people use drugs more safely: lessons and outputs from the Global Drugs Survey
Abstract
Most people don’t become dependent on drugs, but even those who don’t may be at risk of acute intoxication and longer-term route-related harms. Most government funded drug research focuses on dependent populations, with harm reduction for wider drug using communities often receiving little attention. Offering alternative engagement and educational approaches which accept that it's pleasure that drives drug use, not the avoidance of harm, GDS translates data from consumers into digital tools to help people who choose to use drugs do so more so more safely. From guidelines on safer use and personalised risk assessment tools, such approaches can also be adapted to gather data and assess the impact of new policies and health promotion approaches.