Changing the Narrative on Harm Reduction: A Learning and Strategy Session
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, Renton, Washington
12:00–4:00 PM, followed by social hour 4pm - 5pm
Lunch served at 12:00 PM
About the Session
This session will explore how misinformation drives legal and policy threats to harm reduction, with the goal of building strategies to counter it. It will bring together legal, communications, and public health professionals, researchers, journalists, and advocates.
You will:
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Hear about common misinformation tropes influencing harm reduction policy from journalist Maia Szalavitz. Szalavitz is the author of Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction and a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times.
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Learn from other experts sharing emerging research and real-world experiences of how misinformation has impacted harm reduction efforts
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Contribute to plans for new tools and resources to help advocates counter misinformation
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Connect with collective strategies through networks like Changing the Narrative and Legal Advocates for Harm Reduction
Participation & Registration
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Lunch provided at 12:00 PM. Program begins at 12:30.
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Session will conclude with a social hour from 4pm - 5pm
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Hybrid option available for virtual attendees
This session will be followed by the the first in-person convening of the Legal Advocates for Harm Reduction on Sept 19. Click here to learn more.
About the Organizers
This session is hosted by the Advancing Harm Reduction Through the Law (AHRLA) Project and the Changing the Narrative Network, in partnership with the Network for Public Health Law's Harm Reduction Legal Project and other collaborators.
Funding is provided by the Elton John AIDS Foundation
Questions?
Contact: j.vonderheydt@northeastern.edu
There is no cost to attend the learning and strategy session, but we ask that you register so we can plan accordingly. A hybrid format will be available to include virtual attendees.