The Young Injectables Harnessing the Power of Harm Reduction

Educational outreach is one of our biggest priorities at SACHR. Decades of abstinence-based drug education in the United States have created a widespread lack of awareness of how to prevent many of the potential dangers associated with drug use. Just as teenagers who do not receive sexual education are more likely to contract STIs or have an unwanted pregnancy – people who never encounter harm reduction education are much more susceptible to the potential dangers of drug-related harm such as contracting HIV/Hepatitis C or accidental overdose.

            This is the concept behind The Young Injectables, an educational resource created by our Harm Reduction Services and Syringe Access Program Manager Van Asher. As drug use continues to be pushed underground, morbidity has increased with record numbers of fatal overdoses occurring each year. These are preventable deaths. HCV infections are also an ongoing problem, with the highest rate of new infections happening among young injecting drug users. Drug use is here to stay, but many of the dangers associated with it do not have to be.

            The Young Injectables uses real-life situations to provide a dialogue on how to stay healthy and safe while using drugs. Illustrated by U. A. Morrison, the series follows a group of heroes whose superpower is harm reduction. Follow them as they fly through New York City’s streets, apartments, and subways offering sterile syringes, HIV and Hepatitis C prevention strategies, Narcan training, overdose prevention strategies, and more.

Click or tap the comic book cover to start reading