Day of Action 2018
City: Aguascalientes
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas
Members of SSDP were photographed in some sites of the Historic Centre of Aguascalientes (the Legislative Palace, Government Palace, Plaza de Armas) with “Support, Do not punish” posters.
Alejandro Morán Contreras and Eduardo Moreno Zamora (members of SSPD) participated in the “Ser Lumen” program on Radio UAA 94.5 FM to promote the Global Day of Action and generate awareness of the human rights and public health damage caused by the war on drugs. Alejandra García de Loera, Liliana García de Loera, and Humberto Gutiérrez Cantú gave an interview with La Jornada, Aguascalientes (a local newspaper) on the day of global action and the failure of the war on drugs to reduce violence and the multiple human rights violations that occur daily in Mexico. On Thursday, Alejandro Morán Contreras (SSPD member) presented on harm reduction in order to generate awareness in health personnel about the reduction of risks and damages as another form of treatment for users of psychoactive substances. The neurobiology of addiction and the premises that support the harm reduction model were addressed. Luis Fernando García Brand (SSDP member) gave a radio interview and Humberto Gutiérrez Cantú provided a televised newscast about the message of Support. Don’t Punish and changes in drug policy.
On Friday, SEJUVE (Secretariat of Youth) of the State of Aguascalientes presented on harm reduction to the general public and there were additional lecutres given along with the showing of the film “El Jardín de la Alegría” and a raffle for participants.
Media Coverage:
“Se Conmemora el día mundial del Apoye No Castigue en Aguascalientes.” June 27, 2018. http://www.lja.mx/2018/06/se-conmemora-el-dia-mundial-del-apoye-no-castigue-en-aguascalientes/.
City: Morelia
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
30 June: Movie screening and debate on human rights abuses against people who use drugs.
City: Poza Rica
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
26 June: Discussion with the community on the consequences of discrimination and stigma against people who use drugs.
City: Mérida
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
26 June at the Concha Acústica Parque de las Américas: Discussion with representatives of affected populations. Documentary screening. Short talk on drug policy, human rights and public health.
City: Santiago de Querétaro
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
26 June: Discussion with students, health professionals and the general public at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro on a health and human rights approach.
City: Zapopan
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
26 June: Film screening and discussion on addictions and alternative approaches to drug policy.
City: Oaxaca
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
26 June: Multidisciplinary debate on substance use.
City: Jiutepec
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México.
Discussion (on arbitrary detentions in the state of Morelos and on the war on drugs) and performance (related to drug trafficking and its impact on society) in downtown Morelos.
City: Escobedo
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México
26 June: Discussion panel on the war on drugs and young people in the north of Mexico.
City: Puebla
Organisations: Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México
26 June: Roundtable on drug use and drug regulation.
City: Juarez, Chihuahua
Organisations: Programa Compañeros y REDUMEX (Red Mexicana De Reducción de Daños
Carry out a campaign with messages of diffusion to raise awareness in society about the Human Rights of drug users, provide prevention supplies and involve people active in the use of drugs in the campaign and staff of the Human Rights Commissions.
City: Mexico City
Organisations: CPPD, México Unido Contra la Delincuencia, Estudiantes por una Política Sensata de Drogas, México, ReverdeSer Colectivo .
- As part of this year’s Support, Don’t Punish global campaign, Mexico City has planned to create a mural referring to the war on drugs and the importance of ending it. In few places have the dire consequences of prohibition been felt as harshly as in Mexico. The mural will be produced by local young artists from Mexico City, and aim to reflect on the importance of drug policy reform as a necessary step towards rebuilding the country and finding peace. The criminalization of small time producers, dealers and users has over-crowded the penal justice system and inhibited that people that may need access to social or public health services can do so.
The design of the mural will be in charge of artists themselves but the opening of it will feature drug policy reform activists, experts and other members of the community that will help bring attention of the media, passers-by and neighbours to the relevance of opening up conversation of alternatives to the war on drugs. Activating social media through pictures, videos and other media products will aim to share the reflection much further than the physical space where the mural is located. Turning person by person into an honest conversation about drugs, people who use them and policies that control them is the only way towards achieving better frameworks that support, and do not punish.
- Launch of briefing paper on criminal justice reform, which will be paralleled with campaign messages.
- There was a conference in Mexico City that featured speeches on health policy & drug policy as well as a clinic for harm reduction. Students got the opportunity to hear from experts but also spoke themselves about their experiences fighting back against the drug war with SSDP.
- An event with music and presentations in Las Islas of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The activities are: concert, talks, collage where the attendees can put their thoughts and opinions on drug policy. It is important to speak of support, do not punish because at the beginning of the year UNAM took out a campaign that said: It is a narco, it is not your friend. Based on the criminalization of small vendors and the identification of “suspicious” persons. It is very important to have a campaign like this in this public space and with a population that has already been directly affected.