In 2008, Harm Reduction International released the Global State of Harm Reduction, a report that mapped responses to drug-related HIV and hepatitis C epidemics around the world for the first time.(1) The data gathered for the report provided a critical baseline against which progress could be measured in terms of the international, regional and national recognition of harm reduction in policy and practice. Since then, the biennial report has become a key publication for researchers, policymakers, civil society organisations and advocates, mapping harm reduction policy adoption and programme implementation globally.

In the second and third editions, the Global State of Harm Reduction 2010: Key Issues for Broadening the Response(2) and The Global State of Harm Reduction 2012: Towards an Integrated Response,(3) important harm reduction issues were explored in a series of chapters on key topics, such as the response to amphetamine-related harms, harm reduction in prisons, effective harm reduction services for women who inject drugs, and access to harm reduction services by young people.

The Global State of Harm Reduction 2014 continues to map the response to drug-related HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis. It also integrates updated information on harm reduction services into each regional chapter, including on needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and opioid substitution therapy (OST) provision; harm reduction services in the prison setting; access to antiretroviral therapy for people who inject drugs; regional overdose responses; policy developments; civil society developments; and information relating to funding for harm reduction.