11/15/2025
I want to talk about something we don’t discuss enough: “stigma by association.”
People who use drugs already face so much judgment. But what many don’t realize is that harm reduction workers... the people supporting them... also experience stigma just for doing this work.
This can look like being treated differently in healthcare settings, being judged for caring about our community, or even being seen as “enabling” instead of helping. It creates real emotional strain, burnout, and pushes good workers out of the field.
For many of us, this work is deeply meaningful. But meaning alone doesn’t erase the stigma, the microaggressions, the low pay, the lack of proper supports, or the emotional weight we carry.
And when harm reduction workers burn out or leave, it’s not just a “staffing issue”. It's a public health issue. People lose trusted relationships, vital support, and services that literally save lives.
If we want safer communities, we need to support the people doing the work. That means valuing lived experience, improving pay and benefits, offering mental health supports, and challenging the stigma that shows up in healthcare, workplaces, and society as a whole.
Harm reduction workers deserve respect, support, and safety too. 💛
Everyone knows about the stigma faced by people who use drugs. What’s far less visible is the stigma experienced by ...
