Drug use has often been considered as serious social and health consequences. In early 1990s a study in Cebu found that the sharing of needles and syringes was widespread even among injecting drug users who understood that the practice was risky (Department of Health 1992; Tan 1994). In a later study, it was reported that IDUs tended to share in groups of 3 to 13 people and the primary reasons for sharing were lack of money for buying clean equipment, inability to get clean equipment and to enhance camaraderie among friends. After use, injecting equipment is generally not disposed of carefully, was thrown away, sold at reduced price, rented to others or kept for reuse.

Another study conducted by the University of Southern Philippines Foundation in 2000 showed that a little over half of the injecting drug users bought their needles and syringes from somewhere other than drug stores and tended to borrow from their injecting drug user friends or from a variety of shooting galleries in Cebu City. The same study also found out many form of crude ways where injecting drug users employ to clean the needles and other paraphernalia that they have used. And this situation totally aggravates the imminent danger to the health status of these people.

Furthermore, the study showed that among a group of IDUs, 99% injected nubain, 84% inhaled shabu, 23% drank cough syrup and 18% smoked marijuana. In the area where the study was focused there were more than 900 IDUs and eight shooting galleries. Of the 26 female IDUs identified, 27% were commercial sex workers. In recent years there has been an increasing trend of CSWs becoming IDUs.

In Cebu, USPF-Harm Reduction Program has been offering its services from 1997 to September 2002 to both residents and non-residents of Barangay Kamagayan, Cebu City. Such initiative will be continued by Remedios AIDS Foundation through its Youth Zone Cebu branch.

The project aims to help contribute in providing access to drug users ( injecting and non-injecting ) preventive and promotive health information and referral/direct medical services in Brgys. Kamagayan and Lorega, Cebu City. The project will utilize community organizing, peer education and advocacy as an approach in delivering such services.

Hopefully, RAF will be able to make a difference in the lives of these clients through the various services being offered. Making their activity safe through behavioral modifications.