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 ‘national 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 national level
• Pioneering nature of work in host country
• 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 Inés Elvira Mejía Motta (Colombia)
• 2023 Gaby Bruning (Australia)
• 2019 Consumidores Associados Sobrevivem Organizados (CASO) (Portugal)
• 2017 Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) (Canada)
• 2015 Malaysian AIDS Council (Malaysia)
• 2011 Elie Aaraj (Lebanon)
• 2010 Russell Newcombe (UK)
• 2009 Thai Drug Users’ Network (TDN) Founders (Thailand)
• 2008 Àmbit Prevenció (Spain)
• 2007 Marek Zygadlo (Poland)
• 2006 The Drug User Advisory Group (Canada)
• 2005 Des Flannagan (Northern Ireland)
• 2004 Tony Trimingham (Australia)
• 2003 Mae Chan Project (Thailand)
• 2002 Tatja Kostnapfel-Rihtar (Slovenia)
• 2001 Jimmy Dorabjee (India)
• 2000 Mike Wavell (Jersey)
• 1999 André Seidenberg (Switzerland)
• 1998 Tarcisio Andrade (Brazil)
• 1997 Alain Mucchielli (France)
• 1996 The Australian IV League (Australia)
• 1995 San Giuliano Unità di Strada (Italy)
• 1994 Catherine Hankins (Canada)
• 1993 Wijnand Mulder (Netherlands)
• 1992 Les Drew (Australia)