Frequently Asked Questions

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Because harm reduction demands that interventions and policies are designed to serve people who use drugs reflect specific individual and community needs, there is no universal definition of or formula for implementing harm reduction. It may include a spectrum of strategies such as safer use, managed use, and abstinence. 

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Syringe exchange programs (SEPs) are community-based prevention programs that can provide a range of services, including access to and disposal of sterile syringes and injection equipment, vaccination, testing, and linkage to infectious disease care and substance use treatment. SEPs represent one component of a comprehensive approach to reducing the spread of blood-borne diseases among people who inject drugs.

A syringe services provider is an agency engaging in the exchange of an individual’s used syringe(s) for one or more new syringes, which are contained in sealed sterile packages. Services should include providing individuals with verbal and written instructions on preventing the transmission of blood-borne diseases (including HIV/HCV), as well as options for obtaining substance-use treatment services, testing services, and an opiate antagonist. Additionally, the participating agency must report information regarding program activities on an annual basis to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.  

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and others have conducted and supported research on syringe exchange programs for nearly 30 years. Researchers have found that syringe exchange programs are safe, effective, and cost-saving tools to prevent HIV and high-risk injection behaviors that can impact the spread of other infectious diseases among people who inject drugs. 

Yes. When people who inject drugs use an SEP, they are more likely to enter treatment for substance use disorder and stop injecting than those who don’t use an SEP. New users of SEPs are five times as likely to enter drug treatment as those who don’t use the programs. People who inject drugs and who have used an SEP regularly are nearly three times as likely to report a reduction in injection frequency as those who have never used an SEP. 

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S. 

A Fentanyl test strip pilot program was developed by UDHHS to help reduce the harm of synthetic opioid fentanyl for people who use drugs. Designed originally for urinary analysis, these strips are used to test drugs mixed with clean water in order to detect the presence of fentanyl or one of its analogues. Participating SSP entities are provided test strips and relevant educational materials to distribute to participants as part of a comprehensive harm reduction strategy to prevent the risk of drug overdose in Utah. 

Xylazine is not a controlled substance and not approved for human use. It is a drug used in veterinary medicine and is used as a sedative with analgesic properties. It is often added to street fentanyl to prolongs its effects. Repeated exposure can lead to addiction, severe withdrawal, and skin wounds.

Recognizing an opioid overdose can be difficult. If you aren’t sure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose—you could save a life. Call 911 or seek medical care for the individual. Do not leave the person alone. Signs of an overdose may include:

• Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”

• Falling asleep or loss of consciousness

• Slow, shallow breathing

• Choking or gurgling sounds

• Limp body

• Pale, blue, or cold skin