Melissa Sue Tucker | Sister of 2 Brothers with Addiction | Interviewer Trying To Understand Addiction, Recovery, and Dependency

Addiction Support Podcast: Addiction Support for Family & Friends, From People Who Have Been There | Melissa Sue Tucker

Melissa Sue Tucker | Sister of 2 Brothers with Addiction | Interviewer Trying To Understand Addiction, Recovery, and Dependency

  • ASP020: Harm Reduction, Why Needle Exchanges Programs Are Needed, and more…

ASP020: Harm Reduction, Why Needle Exchanges Programs Are Needed, and more…

Thursday 7th April 2016

Learn why needle exchange programs are essential for harm reduction and public health in this episode with Haley Coles.
28 minutes
Informative
Supportive
Educational
Thought-provoking
Raw

About this podcast

Addiction Support Podcast: Addiction Support for Family & Friends, From People Who Have Been There | Melissa Sue Tucker
Author:
Melissa Sue Tucker | Sister of 2 Brothers with Addiction | Interviewer Trying To Understand Addiction, Recovery, and Dependency
Overview:
Categories:
Sobriety Toolkit
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Family Recovery from Addiction
Navigating Intimate Relationships
Creative Recovery Journeys
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45 (View all)
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Needle Exchanges: A Vital Tool in Harm Reduction

What can we do right now to reduce your risk so that in the future you don't have to worry about an HIV infection, a hepatitis C infection, losing a limb due to an abscess when you were in the middle of something that was hard for you to deal with?
What if there was a way to reduce the risks associated with drug use without demanding immediate sobriety? In this episode, Melissa Sue Tucker sits down with Haley Coles from Sonoran Prevention Works to discuss the concept of harm reduction and the critical role needle exchange programs play in it. Haley breaks down harm reduction into practical strategies aimed at minimizing the negative impacts of drug use.
One of the standout strategies is needle exchange programs, which provide sterile needles to drug users to curb the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. But it doesn't stop there. Haley also highlights the importance of safe needle disposal, stressing that everyone—from parents to trash collectors—needs to know how to handle needles safely. She also tackles the alarming rise of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid often mixed with other drugs, and underscores the importance of overdose prevention.
Throughout the episode, Haley encourages those struggling with addiction to seek out evidence-based support groups and resources like Sonoran Prevention Works. This conversation is not just informative; it’s a call to action for public health and safety.