The review found that while drug use is criminalized in the SAARC region, harm reduction programs have still been implemented to prevent HIV/AIDS. However, certain harm reduction interventions like needle exchange programs are at risk of legal issues due to being construed as abetting drug use. The report also found that drug laws have unintentionally contributed to riskier drug use patterns and inconsistencies between drug and HIV policies. It recommends harmonizing harm reduction with the law by clarifying the legal status of interventions and expanding exceptions for medical treatment of drug dependence.

1. Legal Framework in the region: Findings from a legal & policy review of IDU harm reduction in SAARC Anand Grover & Tripti Tandon Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, India ‘ Inter-country Consultation on Preventing HIV among IDUs: From Evidence to Action’ 10 –13 April, 2007 Kolkata, India