Link to article: https://apnews.com/article/colombia-supervised-heroin-consumption-room-a0a883619764ecfd475acc25bc8e0ca3
Christian Camilo Amaya used to shoot up haroin and cocaine in the streets of Bogota, Columbia. He even got a tattoo on his left arm depicting a skull with a syringe in it to represent those days. However recently he has moved locations from the streets to South America’s only supervised room for drug use. This room, created with the goal of preventing overdoses and reducing harm caused by drugs, is located in Columbia’s capital. A Non-profit organization called Accion Tecnica Social runs this room. They even nick named the room the Cambie, which in English means change. The room was founded in June 2023 and has since prevented 14 overdoses. Amaya claims this room is good for him since it teaches him syringe cleanliness and overdose prevention. The International Conference on Harm Reduction, which started Sunday in Bogota, is addressing this room.
The International Conference on Harm Reduction (ICHR) hadn’t held a conference in South America for three years previous to this. That shows the significance of the matters at hand. Typically lesser developed countries are thrown aside when it comes to adressing problems. In more developed countries or more economically fortunate countries problems are easier to adress. Those states typically have more money and resources to devote to the issue at hand. Therefore organizations could prefer to work in an area where they can have an impact. The ICHR had been working in areas such as Europe and the US prior to this. But as this room gained popularity so did the appearance that South American drug abuse needed to be visited. An organization that’s mission is to help with world drug abuse would loose support if they didn’t help the areas calling out for the whole world to see. This room is the traction Columbia and all of South America needed to have international support in drug abuse situations.