At the 28th Harm Reduction International Conference, we spoke with Diego Andrés Lugo-Vivas about the impact of the Drug War in Colombia and how the philosophy of harm reduction could be applied to the coca leaf.
We explored the following topics:- What is the significance of HR25 taking place in Colombia?
- Which region of Colombia are you from?
- Can the philosophy of harm reduction be applied to the issue of coca?
- At the UN in Vienna, there are claims that coca cultivation harms the environment. How do you respond to that?
- What could be an alternative to coca eradication?
- What have been the outcomes of eradication efforts in Colombia?
- How severe is the damage caused by these efforts?
- Can you share personal stories of how people have been affected?
Is the message of shifting from punishment to harm reduction relevant for Colombia?
Interview: Péter Sárosi
Video and audio: István Gábor Takács
