Ben Scher
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ben-scher.bsky.social
Ben Scher
@ben-scher.bsky.social
Lecturer/Postdoc in Global Health @Princeton Center for Health and Wellbeing | Research Affiliate @DSPI_Oxford | Drug Policy, Harm Reduction, OPCs, Low-Barrier Housing
Reposted by Ben Scher
In a recent interview, Postdoctoral Research Associate
@ben-scher.bsky.social shares the crux of his research exploring health inequalities, social exclusion, and drug policy, along with his plans for advancing this work at and beyond Princeton.

tinyurl.com/2feh6kah
Ben Scher Tackles Health Inequalities and Drug-Related Harm
In a recent interview, Postdoctoral Research Associate Ben Scher shares the crux of his research and plans for advancing this work at and beyond Princeton
tinyurl.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I’m glad to share a new article published as part of HRJ’s special collection: "Harm Reduction in Europe: Histories, Choices and Hopes."

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

@gwshorter.bsky.social @dkhumphreys.bsky.social @bchrisinger.bsky.social 1/2
September 19, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
New in the Homelessness series
Harm Reduction and Belonging in the Provision of Homelessness Services
12 November 2025 10:00 to 11:00
Online. All welcome.
with @ben-scher.bsky.social
www.kcl.ac.uk/events/harm-...
Harm Reduction and Belonging in the Provision of Homelessness Services | King's College London
Ben Scher
www.kcl.ac.uk
September 11, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
This story is interesting, not just because of the Minister's bad faith claims, but also because it illustrates how cities are left to pick up the pieces when provinces play politics with SCS. #harmreduction

www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
Crime rate around Somerset supervised consumption site lower than government suggested when announcing closure
The crime rate around the Somerset West Community Health Centre did not rise to the figures put forward by the provincial government last year when announcing the closure of its supervised consumption...
www.ctvnews.ca
August 20, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
✨Job Alert ✨ The Division of Prevention and Community Research, Department of Psychiatry, @yaleschoolofmed.bsky.social, invites applications for a two-year NIDA-funded T32 postdoctoral training program in substance use prevention research.

medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/p...
Division of Prevention and Community Research and The Consultation Center
The Division of Prevention and Community Research, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine invites applications for a two-year NIDA-funded T32
medicine.yale.edu
July 17, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Congratulations @neftalememanuel.bsky.social, winner of the 2025 Barnett Prize for his paper:
‘Damp Places, Unhappy Faces: Analysing the Impact of Housing Repairs & Maintenance Expenditure on Local Authority Residents Wellbeing in England between 2013-2022’ 👏
www.spi.ox.ac.uk/article/barn...
Barnett Prize winner 2025: Neftalem Emanuel
We are delighted to announce this year's Barnett Prize winner, Neftalem Emanuel, for his outstanding contribution to evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation.
www.spi.ox.ac.uk
July 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Congratulations Ben!! We look forward to seeing what you do next in your career.
I’m over the moon to share that yesterday I completed my DPhil @dspi-oxford.bsky.social 🎉

There are so many thank yous, but firstly to my amazing and unbelievably supportive supervisors @gwshorter.bsky.social @bchrisinger.bsky.social @dkhumphreys.bsky.social

1/4
May 29, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Come and work with us at @dspi-oxford.bsky.social as a Departmental Lecturer. Role involves teaching qualitative and mixed methods and intervention and evaluation design with time and support to develop your own lines of research.

Apply by June 13th: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNF076/d...
Departmental Lecturer at University of Oxford
Apply for the Departmental Lecturer role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.
www.jobs.ac.uk
May 23, 2025 at 1:45 PM
I’m over the moon to share that yesterday I completed my DPhil @dspi-oxford.bsky.social 🎉

There are so many thank yous, but firstly to my amazing and unbelievably supportive supervisors @gwshorter.bsky.social @bchrisinger.bsky.social @dkhumphreys.bsky.social

1/4
May 21, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Reposted by Ben Scher
🚨 Proud supervisor alert 🚨
One my 1st PhD students just passed his viva!

Give @ben-scher.bsky.social a follow for rigorous qualitative + participant-centered #HarmReduction research.

s/o to amazing co-sup team @gwshorter.bsky.social @dkhumphreys.bsky.social @dspi-oxford.bsky.social
🛟 #academicsky
May 20, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Glasgow's supervised drug consumption facility was accessed 2,691 times in its first 4 months, with 30 medical emergencies attended too

There's huge unmet nationwide demand for SDCF/OPCs, proven to reduce harm, save lives & facilitate service access
pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news...
1/
UK’s first safer drug consumption facility accessed more than 2,500 times in first four months, data show
The UK’s first safer drug consumption facility (SDCF) in Glasgow has been accessed 2,691 times during the four months it has been open, according to data published by the Glasgow City Health and Socia...
pharmaceutical-journal.com
May 13, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Ben Scher
“Exploring the need for overdose prevention centers in England: A qualitative community-based participatory study on the perspectives of people who use drugs in public and semi-public environments” by @ben-scher.bsky.social et al (2025) via IJDP.

Link: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
May 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
People involved in street-based drug use need places of safety, away from police and public gaze, where they don't have to rush.
Very excited to share our new paper in @ijdrugpolicy.bsky.social 🎉

In this paper we look at experiences of people who use drugs in public and semi public drug consumption environments and the need for OPCs in England.
May 5, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Very excited to share our new paper in @ijdrugpolicy.bsky.social 🎉

In this paper we look at experiences of people who use drugs in public and semi public drug consumption environments and the need for OPCs in England.
May 5, 2025 at 8:38 AM
First and final in person supervision with @dkhumphreys.bsky.social and @gwshorter.bsky.social, just missing @bchrisinger.bsky.social…come check out Gillian’s talk at Wolfson tonight if you’re in the Oxford area, link 👇
May 1, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Reposted by Ben Scher
April 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you are in the Oxford area and interested in drug policy, come catch @gwshorter.bsky.social who will be giving a guest lecture on the evidence-base surrounding overdose prevention centres 🎉

🗓️ Thursday 1st of May
⏰ 6pm-7pm
📍Wolfson College

www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/event/from-s...
From Street to Safety: Exploring the How and Why of Overdose Prevention Centres - Wolfson College
Dr. Gillian Shorter is a leading researcher in drug policy, whose work has significantly advanced the empirical and policy understanding of overdose prevention centres (OPCs). Her contributions includ...
www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk
April 15, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Great interview Ben! It's wonderful to see @ssa-addiction.bsky.social funded PhD students talk about the importance of the evidence base, providing informed thought and responding so generously to curiosity about such a complex area.
April 9, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Is the UK shifting its approach to drug policy? Why is drug policy more important than ever in today's geopolitics? What does global evidence say about OPCs?

It was great to join Sam Lewis from the Human Condition Podcast to discuss these questions...check out our full discussion below 👇
April 8, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Just out in #HarmReductionJournal: another article from our realist review of international evidence on overdose prevention centres (AKA drug consumption rooms, supervised injecting facilities), showing how and for whom they work #harmreduction #OPCPrep 1/7 links.springernature.com/f/a/hWOfNJIE...
March 20, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Excited to share the first empirical paper from my PhD just out in the @cjphrcsp.bsky.social 🎉 A huge thank you to @bchrisinger.bsky.social @dkhumphreys.bsky.social and @gwshorter.bsky.social for their support on this research.
March 18, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Oxford University Rugby Football Club will be sending 23 players from the Women's team and 23 from the Men's team to take to the turf at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday 8th March.

Find out more and get your tickets here ⬇️
Varsity | OURFC
Get your tickets to the Varsity Matches 2025! OURFC are also organising coach transport to get supporters to StoneX quickly and cheaply, which you can book here. Get ready for a festival of university...
www.ourfc.org
March 4, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Ben Scher
The long-awaited evaluation of Project ADDER is now out, and makes fascinating reading for all with a concern for illicit drug problems in England and Wales. A thread: 1/? ttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/project-adder-impact-evaluation/project-adder-impact-evaluation#key-findings
Project ADDER: Impact evaluation
www.gov.uk
February 13, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Reposted by Ben Scher
Honored to spend yesterday discussing the evidence on drug consumption rooms with Scottish Affairs committee with brilliant Scottish experts @arjmcauley.bsky.social @catrionamath.bsky.social @vkatikireddi.bsky.social including our @drugscience.bsky.social review parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
February 13, 2025 at 8:27 AM