Most of us grew up learning to “just say no to drugs.” but with over 100,000 Americans dying from accidental drug overdoses each year, this philosophy has failed to protect us from the risks of substance use. In this talk, Sydney Sauer advocates for a new strategy called harm reduction, which focuses on minimizing the harms of substance use rather than stopping substance use entirely. To really end the overdose crisis, Sauer argues, we have to forget what we’ve been taught about drugs and embrace strategies designed to keep people who use drugs safe. Sydney Sauer is a harm reduction advocate who helped build The SOAR Initiative, an overdose prevention nonprofit that serves over 30,000 Ohioans each year. With an academic background in sociology and computer science, Sydney is a firm believer in the power of community-centered research and data to solve social problems like the overdose crisis. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx