Nobody takes drugs to have a bad time or make their lives worse. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Rebel Harm Reduction Story
10+ years of harm reduction vigilantism
I can spend forever recalling all the dangerous or risky choices I made with my substance use in the past, and all the adverse health issues I had from irresponsible use, however, there was an important turning point that got the ball rolling on my harm reduction journey. One morning during a friend’s traditional after-rave mimosa hour (we had not eaten or slept, we would come straight from an event and drink), my roommate’s [now an official, published doctor] doctor friend suggested we try using supplements (at the minimum) to replenish some of the lost nutrition during our wild days/nights.
I did start to notice an improvement in my health when using a number of supplements I did some research on before and after substance use, so I started to compile whatever scientific or anecdotal research I could find on nutrition and supplementation with substance use.
By April 20, 2012 (I know the exact date because I worked on it the entire 6 hour flight to LA for Coachella that year), I launched an informational website that initially focused on “preloading” and “postloading” to offset some of the negative effects of alcohol and other drug use, called PlurRX, with business cards, and a large stock of vitamins that I referred as the “festival apothecary”.
This was known as PlurRx and was the start of my journey into harm reduction.
Rebel Harm Reduction past and present
A very abbreviated timeline
2012 Founded PlurRX
PlurRx was a grassroots initiative to help educate EDM party goers about substances and safer substance consumption. PlurRx provided information and recovery supplements to those interested in more sustainable use patterns, without sacrificing their “vices”.
2013 Founded New York DanceSafe, Inc., President
New York DanceSafe had a sincere interest in bettering local music communities by staffing harm reduction booths at events. We provided information on alcohol and other substances, safer sex, and other health and safety issues concerning various music communities. Now known as SafeRave NYC.
2014-Present
Local and global harm reduction services collaborations.
2022-Present
As a David Prize finalist, was gifted an FTIR Spectrometer. Founded the project Rebel Harm Reduction to increase drug checking and harm reduction service capacity to underserved communities
