Holiday Drug Safety: Harm Reduction Reminder for the Festive Period

Harm reduction organizations including DanceSafe, The Loop, and WEDINOS have issued their annual holiday period drug safety reminder, noting that the festive period consistently corresponds to increased overdose incidents due to higher drug use rates, availability of adulterated substances in high-traffic markets, and reduced access to emergency services during public holidays.

Key reminders for the holiday period: fentanyl test strips are essential for all opioid substances — do not assume supply purity. Tolerance drops rapidly during periods of reduced use, meaning returning users should reduce doses significantly. The combination of alcohol with opioids, benzodiazepines, or GHB creates a compounding CNS depression risk that accounts for a disproportionate share of holiday period fatalities.

Naloxone is available at most pharmacies without prescription. The Never Use Alone hotline (1-800-484-3731) operates 24 hours throughout the holiday period. For UK users, FRANK provides 24-hour support at 0300 123 6600.