Our new movie provides an insight into the state of harm reduction in Eastern Europe: A struggle for survival in a time of economic austerity.

In Poland, a ban on over a hundred new psychoactive substances coincided with a massive outbreak of poisonings related to the use of synthetic cannabinoids. The most pressing question must therefore be: Does an increase in prohibition do anything useful to protect our young people?

45 professionals representing civil society organisations working in the drug field gathered in Brussels to prepare advice for the European Commission and member states.

Recent media uproar in connection with a new wave of poisonings from "legal highs" provides a timely opportunity to draw attention to the Polish system for helping drug-dependent people. Demand for new drugs is not only a problem of criminal law and the result of inadequate prevention measures, but also a problem of inadequate treatment, as a result of which thousands of people remain without help.

Next year the General Assembly of the United Nations will put global drug policies on its agenda. Some people think this signals the dawn of a new era, a Spring of drug policy reform. I am more skeptical. In the global drug war, the end of winter is not as close as some have suggested. However, there are many advocacy opportunities NGOs should not miss.

Read about the great example of how the civil sphere of Portugal is joining forces to convince the authorities and public service providers to take harm reduction related to drug use seriously.

After a heated debate, Senators have decided to approve an experimental project to provide a safer environment for drug users, in order to prevent death and disease.

Last year, Drugreporter gave a detailed account of the attack on harm reduction in Budapest, which resulted in the closure of the two largest needle and syringe programs. This year, we have produced a movie, based on interviews with key professionals and drug users, about what has changed on the streets of the District 8 of Budapest since then. Watch our video with English subtitles!

Watch this inspiring video interview with a Catalan harm reduction activist, about how drug consumption rooms have helped to reduce drug problems in Barcelona!

The Initiative for Health Foundation is building on the Room for Change campaign, with street action and a petition.