Going to the root: harm reduction to combat racism and imperialism

Going to the root: harm reduction to combat racism and imperialism

Illustration by Kira Buro. “If you unfold the thread of harmful drug policy through history […] it’s nothing but racism,” says Naja Kassir, community engagement and education coordinator for Canadian Drug Policy Coalition.  In 2023, community leaders in Surrey, B.C. raised the alarm on the high rates of toxic drug poisoning deaths among South Asian international students. They described a tragic situation where local gurdwaras were financially s…