Emissions from petrol and diesel cars are known to be damaging to the environment, but driving is an inescapable part of modern life. Electric vehicles bypass the burning of fossil fuels, resulting in lower emissions. That’s harm reduction.
Innovation has been brought to bear on another hazard of driving: the dreaded crash. From ABS and ESP to airbags and seatbelts, these and other innovations have been carefully designed to make accidents less likely, and where they can't be avoided, to prevent fatalities. That’s harm reduction.
Harm reduction can also work for tobacco
Where smoking is concerned, quitting tobacco and nicotine altogether will always be the best choice. However, for those adults who don’t, scientifically substantiated smoke-free products that are made to appropriate quality standards, while not risk-free, can be a much better choice than continuing to smoke, says Unsmoke SA.
These smoke-free alternatives, which include e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and snus, do not burn tobacco and should emit fewer and lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to the smoke produced when tobacco is burned. That’s harm reduction.