HARM MINIMIZATION STRATEGIES UTILIZED BY INCARCERATED ABORIGINAL VOLATILE SUBSTANCE USERS

Semi-structured interviews with 12 incarcerated Aboriginal volatile su bstance users (VSU's) resulted in the generation of six propositions o n the harm minimisation strategies used. Specifically, VSU's were awar e of the dangers of their substance use and consequently ''sniffed'' i n groups and in public. Individuals, who from the earliest stages of V SU had been faced with choice of substance tended to reject those subs tances and implements for sniffing which were potentially the most dan gerous. Other harm minimisation factors in VSU included contact with t he family, being a social user, taking exercise and witnessing other s niffers suffering major injuries, sickness or death because of certain activities associated with their VSU.