Coca, Harm Reduction, and Reconciliation – An Interview with Diego Andrés Lugo-Vivas

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

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