By Edward Krumpotich
In recent years, Minnesota has undertaken a significant shift in its approach to addressing substance use as a public health issue. This transformation has seen a move away from punitive Drug War related measures toward a more compassionate and pragmatic strategy rooted in harm reduction principles and decriminalization.
Since the 1970’s and the adoption of Nixon and Reagan’s war on drugs, Minnesota’s incarceration increased 282% and during a similar period, overdoses increased 342% (Vera Institute).
Central to Minnesota’s approach is the expansion of harm reduction practices. Harm Reduction is an evidence-based and thoroughly researched paradigm where substance use is understood as a fact of life. If substance use occurs, harm reduction asks how we can educate and make it safer to improve one’s quality of life and encourage better outcomes for communities.
Minnesota laws are now pivoting to these practices with great success. Minnesota passed transformative legislation protecting Syringe Serve Provider outfits and their workers and also expanding their reach. Providers are being funded across the state as the need for comprehensive care is needed now more than ever. Science has illustrated these services lower overdose and infectious disease, they also meet individuals where they 
are at this moment, and empower the substance user to make healthier choices. For instance, if an individual visits an ‘SSP’ they have a 5x times greater chance of entering chemical dependency treatment per the CDC.
Syringe Service Providers, for instance, have been instrumental in curbing the spread of blood-borne diseases among injecting drug users. Due to, at least in part, the substantive education efforts by SSP and harm reductionists alike we have seen a reduction of sexually transmitted infections in 2023 per Minnesota Department of Health. These programs not only prevent infections but also establish crucial connections that guide individuals toward health and wellness systems procuring safety and positive change.
Minnesota’s outcomes are driven by systemic change and highlight:
- Dramatic Reduction in Overdoses: One of the most compelling outcomes of Minnesota’s new approach is the staggering drop in overdoses by over 30% in just one year. This milestone represents more than just statistical improvement; it signifies lives saved and families spared from the devastating impact of chaotic substance use.
- Dynamic Legislation and Comprehensive Support: Minnesota stands out as the only state in the United States to have legalized all forms of drug paraphernalia and drug residue, along with allowing all medications as prescribed by licensed physicians into sober homes. The state has also expanded access to methadone and broadened the group of prescribing and dispensing practitioners. Notably, Minnesota is only the third state to authorize safe recovery sites for active users. These bold legislative measures are a testament to Minnesota’s commitment to embracing innovative solutions which are backed in sound science and practice.
- Empowering Voices of Lived Experience: Crucially, these groundbreaking bills have been authored, advocated for, and advanced by individuals with lived experience. By centering the voices of those directly affected by addiction, Minnesota has fostered a policy environment rooted in ground-level data and scientific evidence. Collaborating closely with statewide experts and stakeholders, including representatives from Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, Minnesota has ensured that its policies are inclusive and responsive to diverse needs. The Minnesota Harm Reduction Collaborative, founded in 2022 by Edward Krumpotich—a person of lived experience who created a policy space for active substance users, recovery advocates, experts and stakeholders in tandem—has led the charge in passing these groundbreaking pieces of
- Community Impact and Public Safety: Since the implementation of these first-of-its kind laws, Minnesota has witnessed a significant increase in participation at direct services organizations, syringe service providers, and community-based organizations. Moreover, there has been a noticeable decrease in syringe litter. This year, the collaborative passed a law requiring public safety officials to refer a substance user to treatment if they ask during a police encounter. After the murder of George Floyd we recognized the need to listen to Black, Brown and Indigenous communities and help create a space where these communities could voice their concerns, ideas and shape the future. The laws pivot away from a jail first mentality the drug war initiated over 50 years ago. John Erlichman, a top Nixon aide, would characterize the drug war and its racially motivated propaganda by saying:
“We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”
His shocking revelation is a profound co-signing of the racially motivated impacts of United States drug related policies. It’s a form of cultural genocide; it hasn’t worked, and it’s time for a change.
Minnesota’s approach serves as a beacon of success, demonstrating that innovative and inclusive policies can yield substantial improvements in public health outcomes while promoting safer, healthier communities for all residents. Minnesota has set a precedent for compassionate governance that prioritizes health and wellness over criminalization and prejudice.
We’re turning the tide, and Minnesota is leading the charge.
Edward Krumpotich founded the Minnesota Harm Reduction Collaborative in October 2022 – has advocated for six substance use, harm reduction, and mental health bills in the states of Nebraska, Minnesota, and South Dakota, as well as educated and uplifted community systems on various public health initiatives.
