On April 6, 2023 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $10 million fentanyl awareness campaign. This will include the Texas Division of Emergency Management delivering a total of 20,000 doses of the overdose-reversing medication, naloxone, more commonly known as Narcan, to all 254 counties in Texas. The distribution of nalaxone is a key plank of the “harm reduction” movement, which advocates for less punitive, more treatment-centered approaches to substance use conditions. Harm reduction has been making a slow and steady climb toward mainstream acceptance, and there are signs here in Texas that it may have finally broken through.

Our guest for today, J.J. Ramirez, is an organizer with Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, a statewide organization that aims to end the drug war and its harms through harm reduction outreach, training, advocacy, and organizing. Texas Harm Reduction Alliance is also a grantee of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, receiving a Policy Fellows grant in 2022.

Related links:

Episode #145: Social Work in a Time of Division

https://hogg.utexas.edu/social-work-in-a-time-of-division

Episode #144: Teaching in a Time of Division

https://hogg.utexas.edu/teaching-in-a-time-of-division

Episode #142: Empowering Our Girls in 2023

https://hogg.utexas.edu/episode-142-empowering-our-girls-in-2023

Episode #141: Texas Legislative Preview 2023

https://hogg.utexas.edu/texas-legislature-preview-2023