Review and Prioritization of the Effectiveness of Harm Reduction and Drug Demand Reduction Strategies in Iran
Keywords:
harm reduction strategies, narcotics, IranAbstract
Substance dependence, as a factor causing disruption in individual and social health, imposes countless damages on societies across various dimensions, including individual, familial, health-related, cultural, social, and economic aspects. In response to the consumption of narcotics and psychoactive substances, countermeasures must be taken to combat this issue. Society, as a dynamic, vibrant, and active system, possesses numerous capacities and potentials that can be utilized to prevent substance dependence. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine and identify the criteria and methods used for harm and demand reduction of narcotics in Iran, and to rank these criteria and methods. In this study, the selected methods were evaluated through a questionnaire based on their level of importance. The questionnaire items included control strategies, abstinence strategies, family-based prevention, education-based, and community-based strategies aimed at reducing harm and drug demand, among others. The sample size was calculated using Cochran’s formula, and based on this, the questionnaires were distributed among experts in the field of design and construction. Furthermore, the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) approach was employed for the evaluation and ranking of the methods. The findings of this study also indicate that criminal policy and repressive actions are among the key measures for preventing drug and psychoactive substance-related crimes in Iran. As indicated by the assigned weights, the two methods of employing control strategies and education-based prevention are considered more significant than other methods for reducing drug-related harm and demand in Iran.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Behnam Khodadoust (Author); Mahmood Ghayoomzadeh; Saeid Atazadeh (Author)
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