Although abstinence is the distal goal aspired to for treatment, harm reduction encourages risk reduction in attainable steps, such as safer methods of drug use. Harm reduction programs also empower the user to become active and responsible in the treatment process.
The public health model heightens understanding of the drug problem by investigating a wide range of possibilities involved in drug consumption. The areas that the public health approach investigates demonstrate that harm can exist within those areas.
Zero Tolerance.
Zero Tolerance has been successfully used by punishing the person caught doing a wrong thing by either putting them in jail, giving them a fine or by other reasons. This method has help reduce the use of drugs in the community. .
Various policies and operations in the state of NSW which have been referred to as "zero tolerance" by either politician or the media include: .
the claim that installing video surveillance cameras in areas such as Kings Cross were part of "reclaiming the streets from criminals". This is same rhetoric used in New York and More recently adopted in the Northern Territory;.
Legislation giving police the power to break-up groups of youths in public places (Crimes Legislation Amendment [Police and Public Safety] Act 1998);.
Legislation covering possession of knives and other implements (Crimes Legislation Amendment [Police and Public Safety] Act 1998). Premier Carr referred to this as "zero tolerance" on knives.
In other countries like Sweden, if a person who is well known to the police they will just let them off. But for first-time offenders especially teenagers, they will be taken quickly off the street and right into custody. From there they can choose if they want to enter a program to help them change their ways or go to a reformatory. So far this technique in Sweden has been extremely successful and is starting to spread into other countries.
