My name is Jenna-Rose and I am an Indigenous Māori researcher from Aotearoa, New Zealand. I am driven to authentically embody Indigenous perspectives in harm reduction interventions, by advocating for Indigenous-led health science innovation, ecological harm reduction in drug policy and reconciling the impediment of drug regulation on Indigenous rights.

Indigenous-led medicine and biotechnology collaborations are on the rise and eager to participate in the harm reduction space. Integrating biology, custom and spirituality with scientific innovation to create culturally appropriate healthcare, in partnership that underscores Indigenous rights and the protection of biocultural heritage ecosystems. These collaborations enhance therapeutic research and contribute to reconciliation efforts, by empowering Indigenous-led innovation in harm reduction while safeguarding biocultural heritage and promoting Indigenous rights.
Drug regulation has had a harmful impact on Indigenous people through the erosion of Indigenous rights, barriers to culturally appropriate healthcare and environmental degradation, leading to substantial health inequalities. A key concern is limiting research of prohibited plants and fungi to commercial and science organisations under state licensing, singlehandedly blocking legitimate Indigenous development of traditional medicine for harm reduction interventions.
Prohibition also exposes biological heritage to exploitation and appropriation, which leads to the need for discussion of ecological harm reduction in drug policy. This is a focus for Indigenous peoples, whose biocultural heritage is central to Indigenous medicine and health practice. There is a risk from bioprospecting and biopiracies search for commercially valuable biological compounds, which takes advantage of licensing regimes to access prohibited plants and fungi. This poses a significant threat to biocultural heritage and can threaten biodiversity through large-scale commercial harvesting, leading to overexploitation, endangering species and degrading environments.
We must provide opportunities for Indigenous-led innovation in harm reduction interventions and support protection mechanisms for biocultural heritage or risk perpetuating disproportionate health outcomes for Indigenous peoples. Culture-based harm reduction interventions are known to improve Indigenous wellbeing, and can be more effective at reducing substance use and related problems than non-culturally based interventions. Excluding Indigenous peoples from this process can lead to further health disparity, increased rates of drug use and overdose deaths, increased mental health challenges and ongoing marginalisation.