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Harm reduction, said plainly
Harm reduction is not permission and not panic. It is a set of practices for reducing preventable injury when people will meet risk anyway.
This institute does not encourage illegal use of psychedelics. It also does not pretend that education ends at a prohibition slogan. Harm reduction is used throughout public health — with alcohol, opioids, infectious disease — because lectures do not always arrive before behavior.
Non-negotiables
- Do not mix unknown substances. Adulteration is a leading cause of preventable tragedy.
- Cardiac history, MAOIs, lithium, and certain serotonergic medicines are not DIY problems. They are stop signs without a clinician.
- Psychosis risk, mania, and a first-degree family history of those conditions deserve specialized screening — not a group chat.
- A sober, competent sitter with the ability to call emergency services is a safety control, not a vibe.
- Driving, swimming, weapons, and major life decisions do not belong in the same window as an altered state.
- Legal risk is a harm. Arrest, job loss, and child-custody consequences are part of the risk budget.
What harm reduction is not
It is not a way to launder a commercial offering. It is not “trust the mushroom.” It is not a substitute for licensed care when licensed care is what the situation requires. If a facilitator uses harm-reduction language while refusing screening, medical backup, or aftercare, the language is costume.