Mission Statement
Our mission: To improve public health and safety by providing harm reduction services while empowering others who wish to do the same.
When harm reduction efforts are allied, Montana’s communities will have greater access to life-saving resources and information.
We acknowledge that some laws intensify drug-related harms instead of reducing them, and we work to resolve this by advocating for better policies.
We are committed to investing in local efforts that will create lasting change.
— CAIRN
Our beginnings and the path of our journey
Where we began
CAIRN’s seeds were planted when we started exchanging ideas on how to address the problems facing people who use drugs. We concluded that drug prohibition coupled with a lack of honest drug education causes most of the issues related to drug use.
To take action, we opened up a local chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) with the fundamental goal of reducing harms caused by the drug war. We soon recognized a need to work for all Montanans, and set to work developing a statewide harm reduction coalition.
Where we are now
CAIRN works closely with harm reduction organizations including Open Aid Alliance, Dancesafe, and SSDP to provide life-saving resources and factual information regarding drugs and the benefits of drug-checking to Montana communities.
Our growing coalition of activists are working in different cities across Montana to aid and empower members of their local communities.
Where we are going
CAIRN’s goal is to foster a cohesive network of independent harm reduction agents and volunteers throughout Montana. With CAIRN as a collective resource, we hope to empower and prepare activists and volunteers throughout the state.
We are constantly growing, learning, and changing together. By practicing harm reduction and learning from each other, we can reduce unnecessary overdoses, trauma, stigma, and pain.