The Illinois Department of Public Health reports 35 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A in the month of January, which are part of a recent Hep A outbreak concentrated in the Midwest. Three of those cases were in Champaign county. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is working to reduce the risk of Hepatitis A, HIV and other infections among people who use illicit drugs by offering clean syringes, harm reduction counseling and vaccinations.

Syringe exchange programs are one of the most visible forms of harm reduction — an approach that strives to minimize drug use’s negative effects rather than punish people for using. But the philosophy isn’t without its critics, and an Indiana law means advocates need to debate harm reduction’s merits every year.