GAT forced to stop distributing material for smoking crack cocaine

Since 2012, with the opening of the GAT IN Mouraria service, GAT Group of Activists in Treatments has continuously invested in pipes, material for smoking crack cocaine. “The distribution of safer consumables is recognized as an effective strategy to reach marginalized populations and to promote their connection and adherence to services, as well as to prevent bacterial infections and hepatitis C”, says Luís Mendão, founder of the non profit organization.

Smoked crack use is much more prevalent today than injected heroin, which characterized the phenomenon of problem use in the past. According to Luís Mendão, “when GAT took the initiative to distribute pipes, it did so with a view to documenting their benefit and advocating for the need to obtain public funding from the State”, through SICAD, Service for Intervention in Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies.

“A brief experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which it was possible to ensure the distribution of pipes throughout the country, showed the national dimension of this need. Today, after 10 years of activism around pipes, and after the 2022 bill exceeded 20,000 euros, GAT had to make the difficult decision to stop the purchase and distribution of pipes, to the detriment of the people who use our services”, explains the activist.

And he adds that the press release sent today to the press “is the last attempt to appeal to the responsible entities to resolve a problem that is the public funding of materials for safer smoking, which we are convinced is one of the essential answers and of first line to problematic consumption in Portugal.”