Drugreporter

News and Films from the Frontline of the War on Drugs

István Gábor Takács

István Gábor Takács

István Gábor Takács is a human rights activist, videographer and trainer. He ran the Video Advocacy Program of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union between 2007-2015. He worked as a needle exchange program counselor for 5 years. He is author of several articles on harm reduction and cameraman, editor, director and co-director of more than 700 online videos, among them longer documentaries, such as “Kostya Proletarsky” (2020), “Taking Back What’s Ours: An Oral History of the Movement of People who Use Drugs” (2020) ”A Day in the Life: The World of Humans Who Use Drugs” (2016), “Without Rights” (2009), “Without a Chance” (2014), “Room in the 8th District” (2014) and “The Invisible” (2011). Since 2016 he works at the Rights Reporter Foundation, where besides producing films, he is training activists in video advocacy.

PAREA is Translating Psychedelic Science Evidence to Policy at the EU Level – An Interview with Tadeusz Hawrot

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Tadeusz Hawrot is the founder of the Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance (PAREA), a Brussels-based initiative working to prepare Europe for the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into healthcare systems. In this interview, he reflects on the policy landscape, regulatory challenges, and the future of access to these emerging treatments in the EU.

Strong Military Budget for Europe, but Not at the Cost of Community Health and Safety – An Interview with Ganna Dovbakh

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With the new EU drug strategy now adopted, key questions remain about its direction and implementation—especially the balance between public health, human rights, and security. We spoke with Anna Dovbakh, Chair of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs, about what the strategy means in practice and the role of civil society moving forward.

Every step to improve lives is worth fighting for — Martin Jelsma on a 30-year drug policy struggle

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The global drug control system is under growing pressure, as countries experiment with regulation and long-standing assumptions are being challenged. Martin Jelsma, who is stepping down from the Transnational Institute this year after decades of work, has been at the forefront of these debates. In this interview, we discuss the WHO’s coca review, inter se treaty reform, and what these shifts mean for the future of global drug policy.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we built” — Ann Fordham on Leaving IDPC After 17 Years

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After 15 years at the helm of the International Drug Policy Consortium, Ann Fordham is stepping down as Executive Director. Under her leadership, IDPC has grown into one of the most influential global networks advocating for drug policies grounded in human rights, public health, and social justice. In this interview, we reflect on IDPC’s achievements, ongoing challenges, and what lies ahead.

Who Am I to Tell You Not to Use Drugs? | Huset Bergen – A Peer-Led Harm Reduction House in Norway

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In Bergen, on Norway’s rainy western coast, Huset Bergen — a three-storey harm reduction centre — is run entirely by people with lived and living experience of drug use. Drugreporter joined Arild Knutsen from the Association for Humane Drug Policy to explore this bold model and found something striking: not resistance, but broad community support — from neighbours to bankers and politicians. Watch our new documentary on the future of peer-led drug services.

Making Psilocybin Therapy Accessible in New Mexico – Interview with Senator Jeff Steinborn

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Senator Jeff Steinborn is the sponsor of the Medical Psilocybin Act in New Mexico, a visionary step toward expanding access to psychedelic therapy. In this conversation, filmed at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, he discusses why legislative action was necessary, how to ensure inclusion for marginalized communities, and what benchmarks will define success as New Mexico opens its first healing centers.