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International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) promotes evidence-based harm reduction policies and practices for all psychoactive substances (including illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol). In 1996 Ernie Drucker drew on the success of the annual International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm and announced the new Association, which would enable knowledge sharing all year round and a supportive environment for those in the field, and advocate sensible policies on drugs. The IHRA held its first meeting in 1997 in Paris.

Over time the focus of the organisation (and the field in general) shifted to promoting scientifically-proven harm reduction policies globally. IHRA therefore seeks to prevent the negative social, health, economic and criminal impacts of such substances, to support people and communities affected by them, and to raise harm reduction and human rights issues within national, regional and international bodies by taking a scientific approach (such as the UN) (source: http://www.ihra.net/)