R Street’s Harm-Reduction program aims for integrated harm reduction with tobacco, opioid and sexual behavior as central elements. We believe that “abstinence only” approaches to risky behaviors will not work on a population-wide basis. As such, we emphasize harm-reduction approaches that accept that harmful behavior may continue even as we seek to mitigate – if not eliminate – the harms involved.
The Issue
Publications
New York hopes new ad in Mandarin will persuade Chinese men to put out their cigarettes
Media Coverage
From CGTN America:
Dr. Joel Nitzkin talks about anti-smoking campaigns aimed at Chinese male immigrants
CGTN’s Elaine Reyes spoke to Dr. Joel Nitzkin, tobacco policy analyst at Canada’s R…
Well-Intended state law will not stem tide of opiate deaths
Jesse Kelley
Everyone’s heart breaks for the victims of opiate overdoses and the families left behind to mourn lost loved ones. But Kristen’s Law – which would make it a felony, punishable by life in…
Tobacco funds fill government coffers, not help people quit
Media Coverage
From The American Spectator:
A more recent analysis by The R Street Institute employed a smaller estimate, analyzing “1% of smokers [within] demographic groups switching.” In this analysis, the…
Research & commentary: Montana proposal punishes lower income smokers, is a disservice to tobacco harm reduction
Media Coverage
From The Heartland Institute:
A 2017 policy study by the R Street Institute analyzed a smaller number of Medicaid recipients switching from combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes. Associate Fellow…
Believe it or not, banning flavored e-cigarettes is a terrible idea
Carrie Wade
If you’re like me, you might wonder why there are so many flavors of e-cigarettes—including bizarre ones like wasabi and unicorn—while the only flavor of combustible cigarette besides…
Letter to the editor: What kind of message would legalizing cannabis send to young people?
Carrie Wade
SIR – We believe that Lord Hague is right to say that the war on cannabis has been “irreversibly lost”.
The Adam Smith Institute has estimated that legalisation, regulation and taxation of…
Conservatives are least likely to want to legalise cannabis
Media Coverage
SIR – We believe that Lord Hague is right to say that the war on cannabis has been “irreversibly lost”.
The Adam Smith Institute has estimated that legalisation, regulation and taxation of…
From the Adam Smith Institute:
Following the call on the government from Lord Hague to look again at legalising cannabis MPs, Ron Hogg PCC, academics and think tanks write to the Telegraph to call…
Joining the fight against teen tobacco use
Media Coverage
From Salem News:
“We view e-cigarettes and vaping products as a tool to reduce smoking,” and deaths from it, said Nicholas John of the Washington-based nonprofit think tank, R Street…
The medicalization of the police
Arthur Rizer & Jonathan Haggerty
Police in the United States are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. They are often accused of doing too much—being too violent, too racist, too militarized. On the other hand,…