The initiative of the Municipality of Bologna which, from the coming weeks, will distribute disposable sterile pipes to people who use crack. The approach is the defined one of the reduction of damage for drug addicts. They have been distributed in the past and are still by medical and common centers in different parts of Europe and the world.
Why provide material to consume drugs
The controversies were immediate, in particular by the center -right according to which the initiative would be an incentive for drug consumption. This is not the case according to those who propose this initiative, not only in Bologna. Starting from the assumption that it is very complex to totally prevent the use of drugs. We then choose related effects, infections and secondary pathologies. The example that comes to mind is that of the use of the same syringe by heroin consumers. In the nineties, disposable sterile syringes began to distribute. Crack is often taken with cans and plastic bottles already used, not hygienic and used even by several people. The next step, in providing these pipes, is to bring people who use crack and start a path of help and recovery.
The municipal councilor for welfare and security does not consider it a definitive solution, but a step that could at least bring benefits excluding other infections and contaminations. The project started experimentally last year with about forty people, whose health improved. The second phase plans to provide 300 pipes to smoke for a cost of 3500 euros. At the base there are experiences of other cities as well as epidemiological studies. In Bologna the area where there is a shop and consumption is the one behind the central station, in the Bolognina district where many reports of public order problems related to this have been.
What is crack and how widespread it is
The crack is obtained from cocaine: it is less expensive, but more dangerous. You don’t sniff, smoke. From cocaine dust we leave for crack crystals. It brings an immediate sensation of euphoria for a few minutes and then immediate demolition. Create addiction quickly.
In the annual report of Parliament on the phenomenon of drug addictions in Italy published in 2025, on 2024 data, it is recorded that cocaine “is one of the substances with the major socio-health impact”: cocaine is responsible for 30% of hospital hospitalizations linked to drugs and among users in charge of serd 23% make cocaine as primary substance and 3.3% of crack.
In the first six months of 2025 the Serdp of Bologna, the service for pathological addictions, took charge of 518 people for Crack consumption, of which 134 had never been followed before. For 80%, these are men with an average age of 40. In 2024 the people in charge for Crack had been 456, in 2023 there were 353. These numbers do not understand how many do not turn to services against addictions and the idea of providing pipes is precisely to contact more people also through local associations. as ASP. Out of binary in via de ‘Carracci, which will be a distribution point.
The position of the Coscioni Association
About the distribution of hundreds of pipettes for the use of crack in the city of Bolognathe Luca Coscioni Association congratulates the Councilor Madrid and the Administration for “having finally shown what it means to apply, that is, respect, how much of the essential level of assistance is in the damage reduction policies. Policies that have also been recognized for 8 years as a rarissimally are implemented in their complexity, therefore it should be given to Bologna that they have prepared a series of services to people who use illegal substances to help them in the real and potential difficulties that such use can involve. It is therefore not a question of conduing or instigating the use it is a question of failing to face a reality by having treasured when for decades it has been called the reduction of the damage And that Italy continues not only not to apply but also to disconnect in the United Nations. We hope that as soon as possible other cities also make Bologna is not the exception but confirmation of a rule ».
Source: Vanity Fair
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