ID: HR19-420

Presenting author: julian quintero

Presenting author biography:

Sociologist and Master in Social Studies of Science and Technology. He introduced to Colombia the syringe exchange and access to Naloxone programs in 2014 and opened the first category analysis service in Colombia and Latin America in 2013. He now seeks regulation of cocaine for recreational use.

Reduction of intoxication and deaths due to drug checking and harm reduction information in music festivals in Colombia since 2013

julian quintero

In Bogotá and Colombia, since April 2010, the "Échele Cabeza" program has been providing information and advice on the reduction of risks and harm to parties for recreational consumers. From February 24, 2013 to May 19, 2018, the service of drugs checking in music festivals analyzed 4887 substances to 3714 people who also received advice. These analyzes were the basis for generating early warnings, press releases, academic reports, relations with the government and research, among other actions that positively impacted the reduction of intoxications associated with drug use in Colombia and especially in Bogotá.

According to data from the epidemiology office of the Ministry of Health, between 2013 and 2015 in the city of Bogotá the income from drug intoxication was reduced from 522 to 376 to the emergency services of the city, with a significant decrease in Ecstasy income from 75 to 37 and cocaine dropped from 70 to 43 income. Given that "Échele Cabeza" was the only project focused on poisoning reduction in the city of Bogotá for this period of time, our research could show that: 1) Drugs Checking and counseling reduces drug intoxication 2) What is there a change of behavior in user consumption practices and 3) That the media impact of alerts and reports have changed the understanding of the phenomenon in the public opinion.

To support this statement, we will present the results of the evaluation survey of the Échele Cabeza project on consumption and behavioral change, epidemiological data on drug intoxication in Bogotá, and an analysis of media discourses since we began the project in April 2010 until July. year 2018.