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Harm Reduction / Drug Policy Reform Reading List

Drug Crazy by Mike Gray. Random House 1998.
This book examines both local and international events which detail the failure of the war on drugs. While the focus is the United States the general principles apply to Canada. It is an easy, compelling read and is a good summary of why North American drug policy is not working.

Modernising Australia's Drug Policy by Alex Wodak and Timothy Moore.
This short, accessible book was written by the individuals who are largely responsible for introducing harm reduction and supervised injection sites in Australia. This book is easy to read and covers all the main issues. It makes a compelling argument that there are significant benefits to all, when a public health response to drugs is implemented.

Drug War Politics - The Price of Denial by Eva Bertram et al. University of California Press, 1996.
An excellent book which goes beyond the failure of the war on drugs. It explores the alternate models and comes to the compelling conclusion is that the Public Health Model is the most desirable. How this model would impact treatment, prevention, and enforcement is explored.

Peaceful Measures - Canada's Way Out of the War on Drugs by Bruce Alexander. University of Toronto Press, 1993, 1997.
This book looks at historical and current drug policy in Canada and suggests specific policy strategies to help decrease the war on drugs.

Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It: A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs by Judge James P. Gray. 2001
This analysis of why the war on drug is failing is extremely good. The solutions point in the right direction but do not go far enough.

Heroin Century by Tom Carnwath and Ian Smith. Routledge, London and New York. 2002.
An up to date analysis of the pharmacological, social, criminal and health issues around heroin. This book also comments on the policy debate and makes progressive recommendations.

Harm Reduction: A new direction for drug policies and programs, edited by Patricia Erickson etc. University of Toronto Press, 1997.
A collection of academic papers dealing with Harm Reduction issues in Canada

Ending the War on Drugs by Dirk Chase Eldredge. Bridge Works, 1998.
The author is a conservative republican and was an advisor to President Ronald Regan. He examines why the war on drugs has failed repeatedly and now creates many of the problems it was designed to solve. He suggests that the process of law enforcement is not the solution to this social/health problem and that prevention and treatment should be expanded.

Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure by Dan Baum. Little Brown Co. 1997.
A detailed and blistering examination of why the war on drugs in the USA was created and why it is failing.

The Fix by Michael Massing. Simon and Schuster, 1998.
This American book explores how treatment is more effective than criminalization in dealing with North America’s drug problems.

Changing Addictive Behavior: Bridging Clinical and Public Health Strategies, edited by J.A. Tucker, D.M. Donovan, A. Marlatt. Guilford Press, 1999.
An examination of the connection between traditional therapeutic and public health strategies.

Harm Reduction: Pragmatic Strategies for Managing High Risk Behaviors, by A. Marlatt. Guilford Press, 1998.
An exploration of harm reduction principles and strategies which also comments on the policy debate.

Safety First Program: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens, Drugs, and Drug Education, by Masha Rosenbaum. Available on the internet (Lindesmith Center), 1999.
An exploration of the principles of a harm reduction program for youth

Chocolate to Morphine by Andrew Weil. Houghton Mifflin Co., updated in 1998.
This recently revised book explores different drugs from a harm reduction perspective.

Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts - a review of the scientific evidence by Lynn Zimmer and John Morgan. The Lindesmith Centre, 1997.
This book documents the relatively non-harmful aspects of marijuana.

For Harm Reduction information on the Internet see the Drug Policy Alliance (www.dpof.org) and the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy (www.cfdp.ca).

This list of resources was assembled by Mark Haden, Clinical Supervisor - Addiction Services, VCHA, Pacific Spirit Addictions Team