Drug users demand governments to lift the ban on opiate substitution treatment and remove criminal sanctions of drug use – a speech delivered by Daria Mogucheva on behalf of the Eurasian Network of People Who Use Drugs at the civil society hearing in preparation of the UNGASS on drugs, to be held in April.
Thank you, this intervention is on behalf of Harm Reduction International and harm reduction organisations around the world.
I’d like to start by saying that it’s a great honor for me to be invited to such an event. I’m going to present not only the community but also the overall views of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia towards upcoming UNGASS 2016.
Current drug policies of the region not only fail to prevent drug use, production and trafficking of illicit drugs but also contribute to increase in violence towards people who use drugs, health crisis, spread of HIV and Hepatitis C infection and abuse of human rights. Government action in harm reduction in our region has been unsystematic and due to certain political and economic reasons, is possible only with support from international donors and technical agencies.
Criminalization of people who use drugs caused by stigma and discrimination has led to systematical violation of human rights all over the region. As a result, people who use drugs face violence, including sexual violence and physical and mental torture in prisons and rehab centers, they are forced to go through drug withdrawal in detention, experience breaches in medical confidentiality; can be denied access to antiretroviral therapy, harm reduction services or opiate substitution programs.
Substitution therapy programs in the region lack the needed coverage and quality. In three countries of the region namely, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, opiate substitution programs are prohibited by law. As a result of Russian drug policy on methadone, 800 of former Crimean patients of opioid substitution program are currently denied access to methadone and buprenorphine, which lead to their relapse to illicit drug use or even suicide.
Speaking about UNGASS 2016 possible outcomes for our region, it is essential that all UN member states must commit to incorporating human rights, public health and harm reduction principles firmly in their drug policies, as well as allocate sufficient funding for harm reduction interventions, including needle and syringe exchange and opioid substitution therapy.
CND and the UNGASS should encourage the adoption of successful practices, namely, opioid substitution therapy, and public health approach to drug use in all countries of our region.
The right of people who use drugs not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment should be officially recognized. All administrative and criminal sanctions for drug use and the possessionn of drugs for personal use should be removed, as well as legal and financial barriers to harm reduction and OST programs to those in need, including women, young people, such as myself, and prisoners.
Governments should address the stigma faced by women who use drugs and ensure the provision of gender sensitive treatment, harm reduction, legal and social services.
Lack of access to controlled medicine to alleviate pain both in drug dependence treatment and palliative care should be recognized as a form of torture.
UN member states should realize the right of drug users to the highest attainable level of health.
And finally, meaningful role of civil society in international drug policy should be recognized and the experience of individuals or communities affected by drug use should be taken into account in the UNGASS debate.
In conclusion I would like to remind that even though previous UN Conventions state that drug possession and purchase are illegal they nevertheless encourage all the member states to adopt health-oriented approach and as long as there are people who need drugs to live and to alleviate their pain, the notion of drug free world doesn’t exist.
