INTERNATIONAL ROLLESTON AWARD

This award was first presented at the ‘3rd International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm’ in Melbourne in 1992 and is given to an individual, group or organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to harm reduction at an international level.

The award aims to recognise work in any of the following areas:

Harm reduction programming and practice
Harm reduction policy
Advocacy for harm reduction
Harm reduction teaching and training
Science, research or critical thinking relevant to harm reduction
Provision of funding or resources for harm reduction

There is no cash prize for this award; the winner is presented with a trophy and has their name listed on the HRI website.

Nomination criteria

Nominations are for individuals, groups or organisations working at the community level, national and/or international levels.

The following criteria, with a focus on ‘international significance,’ are considered and assessed in reviewing the nominees:

Contribution of the work to protection of health, dignity and human rights of people who use drugs at the international level
Pioneering nature of work
Courage or leadership in the face of adversity
Length of time working in the field
Potential for award to strengthen work
Potential for award to enhance visibility and public awareness of issue

Background

The award is named after Sir Humphry Rolleston, President of the Royal College of Physicians who chaired the UK Departmental Committee on Morphine and Heroin Addiction. In 1926 the committee concluded that the prescription of heroin or morphine could be regarded as legitimate medical treatment for those who required it – a decision that epitomises a benign, pragmatic and humane approach to drug problems, and was a landmark event in the history of harm reduction.

Previous Winners

2025 Liz Evans & Mark Townsend (Canada)
2023 All Ukrainian harm reduction NGOs and community organisations who worked in close cooperation and mutual support to mitigate the horror of war for people in their country (Ukraine)
2019 Andrey Rylkov Foundation (Russia)
2017 Péter Sárosi and István Gábor Takács (Hungary)
2015 Edo Augustian Nasution (Indonesia)
2013 Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch (Poland/USA)
2011 Jude Byrne (Australia) and Rich Needle (USA)
2010 Gerry Stimson (UK)
2009 Ralf Jurgens (Canada) and Sam Friedman (USA)
2008 Andrew Ball (Australia)
2007 Vladimir Mendelevich (Russia)
2006 Robert Newman (USA)
2005 Zunyou Wu (China)
2004 Anya Sarang (Russia)
2003 Ambros Uchtenhagen (Switzerland)
2002 Ethan Nadelmann (USA)
2001 Fabio Mesquita (Brazil)
2000 Pat O'Hare (Italy)
1999 Jean-Paul Grund (Netherlands)
1998 Nick Crofts (Australia)
1997 Luigi Ciotti (Italy)
1996 Aaron Peak (Nepal)
1995 Anne Coppell (France)
1994 Alex Wodak (Australia)
1993 Ernie Drucker (USA)
1992 Dave Purchase (on behalf of North American Syringe Exchange, USA)