You’ll often hear us talking about the harm-minimisation approach we take in our education programs. But what does that actually mean, and why does it matter in the classroom?
Harm-minimisation is sometimes misunderstood as “condoning” drug use, but this isn’t the case. In reality, it’s a practical, evidence-based approach that focuses on strategies and programs to minimise drug and alcohol-related harms to individuals and society. Harm minimisation is both a policy approach and a term for specific intervention methods. At its core, the approach aims to facilitate positive change in people’s lives, working with people without judgement or discrimination towards a healthier life.
Harm minimisation recognises that while avoiding substance use is the safest choice, a minority of people will use drugs, alcohol, and tobacco and e-cigarettes. Therefore, we need to equip these young people with knowledge, strategies and skills to stay safe and make more informed decisions.
Harm-minimisation has been the foundation of Australia’s drug policy since the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse began in 1985. Today, the National Drug Strategy continues to utilise this approach in the prevention of alcohol and other drug use. Its framework guides health, education, and law enforcement services across all states and territories.
This framework acknowledges that drug and alcohol use exists on a spectrum, and efforts to reduce the associated harms must be backed by evidence and relevant to the context of the people involved. In schools, that means moving beyond the unsustainable “zero tolerance” messages such as “just say no” campaigns (of which there is no evidence to suggest they work and can even result in increased harms and experimentation), and toward evidence-based strategies that support students and empower them to make informed decisions.
Why abstinence-only messaging isn’t enough
Traditional approaches to drug education often focus solely on abstinence as the primary goal. However, it’s important to keep in mind that curiosity, risk-taking, and experimentation are natural parts of adolescent psychosocial development. Drug education programs that understand and work with the stages of adolescent development are far more likely to be effective than those that try to scare or shame students into compliance. Further, from a preventative standpoint, as adolescence is a time of risk-taking and impulsivity, it is important to effectively educate teenagers on the risks of drug use before harms occur. That’s why the OurFutures prevention programs are specifically tailored for students during this critical developmental period.
All drug use carries risk. While non-use remains the safest option and is always reinforced in our programs, it is unrealistic to expect that all young people will abstain entirely. That’s why drug and alcohol education also needs to include practical strategies for reducing harm. For these programs to work into adulthood, students need to be equipped with the knowledge, tools and skills to understand and reduce harms, while also taking into account peer influence and normative education to address misconceptions of use.
The harm-minimisation approach in schools
At OurFutures, our education programs utilise a harm-minimisation approach within a social influence framework, which teaches students how to resist real-life social pressures related to drugs, alcohol, and vape use. This includes skills-based training such as role-modelling, scenario-based learning, and opportunities for feedback and peer discussion.
A critical component of the social influence framework is normative education, which corrects common misconceptions about how many students’ are actually using substances. Many students overestimate this amount, which can create unnecessary pressure or a feeling of missing out or not being the “norm”. When actually, it’s more “normal” not to be using substances or vaping. By presenting the facts, we help shift the narrative.
In short, our approach to drug, alcohol and vaping education:
- Reinforces that not using alcohol and other drugs is safest
- Recognises that a small proportion of students may experiment or use drugs/alcohol/e-cigarettes
- Provides accurate information about drug-related risks and harms
- Equips students with practical resistance and decision-making skills
- Tackles social norms and peer influence head-on
Talking to your teen about harm-minimisation
Parents have a powerful influence on their teenager’s choices around alcohol and other drugs. Here are some practical tips to help guide open conversations about reducing potential harms associated with substance use:
- Approach conversations about alcohol and other drugs openly and without judgment. (Pro tip: try “anchoring” the chat to something, like a news article, or if you see a vape shop, so the conversation starts on shared terms)
- Ask what your teen already knows about potential harms.
- Focus on the consequences they care about, so they’ll be more motivated to avoid them. Young people often report negative social consequences (e.g., being sick in front of others or saying something they regret), as a primary concern, rather than the longer-term consequences of alcohol and other drug use.
- Listen to and talk about to your teen’s concerns first before asking if they’d be open to hearing your concerns about alcohol and other drugs.
- Work together to set clear expectations for social outings, such as how they’ll get home, what time they’ll return, and how they’ll check in.
- Get informed with current data so you can speak confidently.
- Use facts to challenge misperceptions such as “everyone’s doing it” (most teens are not drinking, smoking/vaping, or using drugs).
- Focus on their overall health and wellbeing – you want your teen to be the best and healthiest version of themselves they can be.
Do’s
- Stay informed about where your teenager is and who they’re with. The Emergency+ App can pinpoint their location and can be helpful when calling 000.
- Encourage them to call 000 immediately if there’s an emergency, And ideally be skilled in first aid. The OurFutures Alcohol module includes first aid skills, ways to prevent an alcohol-related medical emergency, and what to do if there is one.
- Connect with other parents in your teenager’s year group.
- Make sure they understand how quickly alcohol and other substances can affect them and how to get help.
- Encourage your teen to have a buddy or partner that they stay with the whole night, including coming home.
Don’ts
- Don’t let your teenager drive or take public transport home late at night (instead arrange for you or another parent to pick them up).
- Don’t let your teen be alone for any portion of the night.
- Don’t provide alcohol to your teenager if they’re under 18.
- Don’t let them accept drinks from people they don’t know.
- Don’t combine drugs or mix substances.
Read more about these points here.
Safety and evidence-based education first
The goal of harm-minimisation is simply to reduce or prevent harm and keep people safe. It’s not about normalising drug use, it’s about working together without judgement and using the best available evidence to keep the generations of our future informed and healthy.
Young people need more than just rules – we also need to provide them with the skills to navigate complex situations safely and confidently. These skills will help them into adulthood and be with them their whole lives.
Read more about our stance on harm-minimisation here, and read more about our evidence-based suite of prevention programs here.
Some examples:
Below are some examples of how the harm-minimisation approach is utilised in our programs, taken from the Alcohol & Cannabis program. Lesson 2 of this module involves a storyline where a character finds themselves in a risky situation involving alcohol and faces real consequences. The lesson explores both the immediate and long-term harms of alcohol use, while helping students identify risk in common teen drinking scenarios. Learning to refuse and avoid alcohol and other drugs is the first priority, but the lesson also provides practical strategies to reduce harm – such as tips to avoid drinking too much, ways to support friends, and how to get help when needed.
Above: A page from the Lesson 2 Student Summary from the Alcohol & Cannabis program.
During this conversation, the characters recall the knowledge and skills they have learnt to minimise harms and avoid drinking too much.
Author: Francesca Wallis.
With expert review by researchers at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use.
References
Guzys, D., & Kendall, S. (2006). Advocating for a Harm-Minimization Approach to Drug Education in Australian Schools. The Journal of School Nursing, 22(5), 259–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405060220050301
Harm Reduction International. (2022). What is Harm Reduction? Harm Reduction International. https://hri.global/what-is-harm-reduction/
Positive Choices. (2023, August 30). Harm minimisation drugs and alcohol. Positive Choices. https://positivechoices.org.au/parents/harm-minimisation
Wellbourne-Wood, D. (1999). Harm reduction in Australia: some problems putting policy into practice. International Journal of Drug Policy, 10(5), 403–413. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0955-3959(99)00037-7
