Last March, in Vienna, the Narcotic commission of the United Nations Organization (UN) It issued a historic resolution on risk reduction and damage associated with the use of substances, both legal and illegal. And in two weeks, as every June 26 since 2013, a new World Action Day “Accompany. Does not punish” (Support. Don´t Punish)campaign that currently brings together organizations from more than eighty countries to Disseminate and propose concrete damage reduction measures as an alternative to current punitive policies around drugs. While every year the main slogan deals with a punctual axis, the objective is Build sustainable alternatives to the so -called war on drugs.
The implementation of programs based on minimize unwanted effects which entails the use of drugs, whether they are illegal and legal, both in cases of occasional users and in the approach to problematic consumption, it is Damage reduction. It is worth reiterating the concept, mainly for the group of doctors, nurses, “wardens” – he was executed by Granjitas – that still argue that it is about “teaching people to get high.”
These and other issues – the historical and the emerging ones – were placed on the table in the 23rd International Damage Reduction Conference organized by Harm Reduction Internationalwhich was carried out a few weeks ago in the city of Bogotá, Colombia, and that summoned some 1,500 people from more than fifty countries.
Bogotá 23rd International Damage Reduction Conference | Photo HR25
In the prelude to “Accompany. Do not punishe”, The daily left He spoke with Sofía Maioranamedical member of The Association of Users and Professionals for the approach to cannabis and other drugs (Auapac), who, together with other Argentine representatives attended the Bogotá Conference.
How was the experience of having participated in the conference?
Very positive. The fact that it has been done in Colombia made it more accessible to those who live in Latin America and that the problem of the war on drugs in the region has been put on the table. In part, that the Colombian government is carrying out a risk reduction policy explains why the conference was held there. And the presence of so many people, professionals from so many countries, favored that it is a very plural and diverse encounter, which allowed very different situations from all over the world.
During the meeting a clear difference was noticed in the problems of each country?
Yes, it was highlighted that each territory must define its own problem and develop specific strategies, but without the accompaniment of the State the implementation of these policies is very difficult. But in turn the debate was opened to problems that do not focus exclusively on a territory. And what happened in Vienna was accompanied where, except for Argentina, the United States and Russia, countries voted in favor of starting a worldwide policy from a new perspective for reducing damage and risks.
Sofía Maiorana
It is worth remembering that last March, during the 68th session of the Narcotic commission of the Him Made in Austria, a resolution was voted and approved for the first time, explicitly integrates the Risk Reduction and Damage Paradigm in the management of substance consumption. The milestone moves away from the traditional punitive approach (whose failure account for countless examples worldwide) and opens the doors to strategies based on the public health and in him respect for human rights to protect users.
What were the topics you took Aupac to the conference?
From my place, it was cannabis, which is the area to which I dedicate the most. The truth is that there were not many jobs in this regard. We carry a job (whose main author is Sabrina Pimpinella) that it did not focus on how to alleviate possible risks or damage associated with the consumption of marijuana, but exposed the case of a person with problematic drug uses that cannabis uses as therapy, that is, what is called substance replacement, and did very well.
The concept of damage reduction has been expanding over the years, was this reflected in Bogotá?
Yes, today there is talk of Risk and damage reduction But also from Reduction of vulnerabilities. There are those who are more vulnerable, for various reasons, substance consumption. The concept of “Full Spectrum damage reduction”that goes beyond focusing only on risks or vulnerabilities of drug policy, incorporating other needs. It was even discounted on what happens in cases of problematic consumption in relation to the right to housing, thus gaze on drug users. It happens that the use of illegal and legal substances, is very common among human beings, and statistics show that only a small percentage suffer from problematic situations related to consumption, so the reduction of damage must be oriented to all people who consume drugs. From the fact that not all consumptions are necessarily problematic, damage reduction measures are required to contemplate what is called pleasure management. This was another issue that was spoken a lot at the conference.
What is called “pleasure management”?
It is based on the precept that humanity has used substances to perceive the world differently for millennia. These substances have been different in each culture and have fulfilled various functions. Formerly and at present, a large number of people seek pleasure and do not develop problematic consumption. In situations such as parties or meetings, substance consumption is not done with the intention of provoking an overdose but to experience pleasure. Therefore, damage reduction must be linked to pleasure management, which implies having the necessary information and proper accompaniment of the health system. Prohibitionist policies and the lack of damage reduction mechanisms lead to situations in which, by accessing an illegal drug, the user does not know if it is contaminated, does not know the doses and a professional consultation is not carried out to evaluate individual vulnerability. But the shortage of damage, vulnerabilities and pleasure management policies in our country is unfortunate.
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