Partial closure of GAT's supervised consumption rooms

In the first month of 2025, SIC aired a report exposing the situation in Mouraria, Lisbon, following the partial closure of the assisted consumption room at GAT IN Mouraria. The SIC investigation shows a significant increase in drug use on the streets of the neighborhood, highlighting the direct impacts of the lack of a safe space for certain forms of consumption.

THER IMPACT OF CLOSING THE SMOKING CONSUMPTION ROOMS

Since its inception in 2013, GAT IN Mouraria has played a crucial role in harm reduction, providing a controlled space for supervised consumption, screening for sexually transmitted infections, distributing risk reduction and harm minimization materials, and offering social support. However, the smoking consumption rooms have been indefinitely closed, while the injecting consumption rooms have since reopened, as they were deemed to meet the minimum safety conditions for supporting injected drug use.

The indefinite closure of the smoking consumption rooms at GAT IN Mouraria was a difficult decision, driven by the worsening social context in Mouraria. Increased political pressure and the lack of concrete measures to support the GAT harm reduction team have intensified the challenges faced. The team's ongoing efforts contrast sharply with the absence of structural responses and the urgent need for greater political will to ensure effective and humane solutions for the community.

The report reveals that the absence of this service has led to increased visibility of smoking drug use in public spaces, posing challenges for residents, businesses, and people who use drugs. Without a safe consumption site, individuals resort to improvised and unprotected spaces, increasing the risks of overdose, infections, and violence.

THE NEED OF EFFECTIVE RESPONSES

The current situation underscores the urgency of reopening the smoking consumption rooms and implementing effective harm reduction measures. International experience demonstrates that facilities like GAT IN Mouraria, recognized globally for its best practices, not only protect the health of people who use drugs but also help reduce visible drug use on the streets, preventing risky situations and improving the community's quality of life.

Organizations such as GAT continue to advocate for humane, evidence-based responses that uphold the right to health and dignity for people who use drugs. The reopening of smoking consumption rooms and the reinforcement of harm reduction policies are essential. GAT calls on civil society, government entities, and healthcare professionals to support the restoration of structures that safeguard the rights of people who use drugs and foster a safer and more inclusive city for all.