Harm Reduction and Faith Communities

PROGRESS FOR LIVING –

Aug. 1, 2023 – Though UCC is known for being one of the more socially progressive churches, the proposal met resistance from those espousing the common misconception that harm reduction encourages drug use. But people with lived experience of drug use had been pushing for what Reverend Erica Poellot, UCC minister of Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention Ministries, described to Filter as a “more loving and just church.”

Ultimately, the resolution found support in its emphasis on healing and justice for the people most impacted by the drug war, namely in communities of color. It reflects a growing network of community organizers who work at the intersection of harm reduction and faith.

Poellot is the founder and executive director of Faith in Harm Reduction (FIHR). Launched in 2017, FIHR was initially operated by the National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC). In spring 2023, it became an independent nonprofit.