Seattle Drug Empowerment Group Invents New Drug Pipe

According to information from a report at MyNorthwest.com, a long-time Seattle drug user empowerment group is being credited with inventing a new drug pipe.

  The People's Harm Reduction Alliance has been around since 2007

The PHRA, according to information from Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH Seattle, is apparently considered a public health partner in Seattle and has been doing so since 2007.

According to the group's website:

(the PHRA) "is a community-based nonprofit and drug user empowerment organization that has provided harm reduction and other health services to people who use drugs in the Pacific Northwest since 2007. We currently operate programs in Seattle, Kitsap & King Counties, as well as a mail-order program serving all of Washington State."

The group, which is listed on the page as a non-profit organization, was referenced by officials testifying to the Seattle City Council in May of this year.

According to one of the officials, who was discussing current strategies for handing out smoking supplies to addicts (which are considered safer than needles and injecting) the RHRA had invented a "new" pipe for smoking drugs, which they consider a safe method of ingesting drugs.

On the PHRA page, this is part of their statement:

"PHRA strives to serve the needs of the drug-using community by distributing vital harm-reduction supplies within a respectful, non-judgmental context. We also serve our larger communities by providing syringe disposal, naloxone (Narcan) distribution and training, and through our advocacy work."

There has been growing criticism towards these kinds of programs, claiming they do not direct enough resources towards treatment and getting people off drugs.

Get our free mobile app

The PHRA website also contains this information as part of their main statement on the home page:

"We choose to accept the reality of drug use and to humanize people who use drugs by treating them with love and support, not anger and condescension.  In our view, drug users are better served by compassion and respect than by criticism and punishment."

Rantz, in his May 24th article, reports an advisor for Public Health King County-Seattle was asked how many people are utilizing the counseling/drug treatment service information that's handed out with the drug paraphernalia.  The official could not provide an answer.