On April 26, a political commentator with over 650,000 social media followers shared a video accusing the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance of worsening Austin’s “drug and homelessness crisis” by passing out supplies for safer drug use. The post received more than 1,000 comments. While some explained how offering supplies for safer drug use reduces the spread of infectious diseases, others expressed stigmatizing attitudes toward people who use drugs and falsely claimed that SSPs have no benefits.
Recommendation
Given persistent false claims about SSPs, communicators may explain that SSPs have been shown to reduce the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C, which benefits the whole community. In addition to providing tools for safer drug use, SSPs offer a wide range of other services, including infectious disease testing and treatment, vaccinations, and referrals to care. Communicators may also want to share information about local SSPs and other harm reduction programs, especially those that serve unhoused populations.
Fact-checking sources: Public Good News, CDC
