The crack epidemic and its research developments in Rio de Janeiro: Updates on the trafficking and use of crack by youth and young-adults. Kristina Rosales, Fulbright Fellow, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2010-2011
Presentation Content: The crack problematic in Rio • Crack-cocaine and its basics • Introduction to the research project • Research results and recommendations • Reflection on Fulbright experience •
Crack: a social challenge in Brazil Since 2005, crack has swamped the communities and streets of Rio de Janeiro. Now considered a social epidemic, crack is the prefered drug among 90% of the street population, including children and adolescents. With no CLEAR public policies to deal with the trafficking and consumption of the drug, Rio de Janeiro has become host to this growing problem. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEmKHyx-oAE
Crack in Rio de Janeiro: What´s going on? • Crack first appeard in Brazil (São Paulo) in 1989. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro only saw the first traces of the drug in 2005. • Crack in Rio is primarily supplied by one criminal faction, Comando Vermelho, after it established an agreement with the main criminal faction in São Paulo, PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital). The price of crack in Rio is among the lowest in comparison to other Brazilian • cities- ranging from R$5-R$50 per rock and R$11,000 per kilo. • While São Paulo is home to one main cracolandia in the center of the city, Rio hosts several cracolandias mostly protected within the slum- the most notable ones are: Jacarezinho, Coreia (Manguinhos), and Cajueiro.
Crack in Rio de Janeiro- The stats! • Based on the latest numbers supplied by ISP, crack aprehensions doubled from 80kg to 200kg between 2009 and the first semester of 2010. 45% of young people (under the age of 18) living • on the streets of RJ use crack (acording to a study realized by SENAD and CEBRID). The FIRST mayor research study on the crack • epidemic in RJ will ONLY be concluded by 2012 (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz). • Strong association of criminal factions and selling points of crack in RJ, versus other Brazilian cities. Recently, crack users have begun expanding the cracolandia away from the slum and closer to the city...a similar phenomena to what takes place in São Paulo.
Crack overtaking Rio de Janeiro Cracolandia in Jacarezinho Cracolandia in Manguinhos Uso de crack on the streets of Rio
Crack and its effects: The basics Crack is the freebase form of cocaine that can be • smoked. It is primarily made from cocaine paste (40%), ammonium salt, and baking soda (which produces the sound effects that labels the drug as “crack”). When smoked, crack can reach a person’s • nervous system in about 10 seconds, providing a “high” from 3 to 10 minutes. The use of crack creates a stronger sensation than • cocaine which is why dependecy is quite common among its users. • In Brazil, crack was able to substitute the use of intraveneous drugs such as liquid cocaine, primarily because the effects of crack are much stronger. Crack is smoked with pipes (cachimbos) or • perforated aluminum cans. In RJ, crack is mainly smoked on plastic water cups while in cities such as São Paulo, cachimbos dominate the practice.
Crack and its effects: The basics The effects from smoking crack appear immediately after the initial contact with the drug: • Increased heart rate Sweating • • Muscular tremors • Euphoria Indiference to pain or tiredness • • Alertness At times, paranoia • Smoking crack also causes direct effects on the user such as burned lips and fingers, broken teeth, and eye-irritation. Another important issue to mention is the high risks of HIV/AIDS infections as well as sexually transmitted disease due to the lifestyle associated with crack use.
Research Project: Crack epidemic in Rio de Janeiro: Mapping out the problem Main Idea of the research project: 1) Study the crack problematic within the favelas and streets of RJ. 2) Map out the various institutions (academic or private), organizations, and government entities working on addressing this problematic. 3) Understand how the “system” and “cycle” work to combat the epidemic. 4) Construct a database to establish communication among the various groups dealing with the issue. 5) Put to use my field experience (primarily in the cracolandias) to provide recommendations for better action and assistance for crack users. How did I structure the research project? • Reaching out/ working with academic institutions (UFRJ, UERJ and FGV), private institutions (Fiocruz), NGO’s (Viva Rio, Afroreggae, Obs. de Favelas and Psicotropicus), and Rio’s state and municipal entities (SEASDH, CREAS, CAS, CAPS, CAPS-AD, FIA, CEAD and UPA). On-field research ing the cracolandias: Jacarezinho and Manguinhos •
Research Project: Organizations and Institutions addressing the problem Year Research Project/Topic Authors Organization Explanation/Result Status Availability (website, library) 2010 Pesquisa Nacional do Crack Prof. Chico Bastos SENAD/Fiocruz Project seeks to map out m In progress www.fiocruz.br 2010 Pesquisa-relacionamento entre infecções de HIV Prof. Marcelo Bastos IPUB/PROJAD (UFRJ)Project conducts clinical st In progress http://www.ipub.ufrj.br/portal/index.php/assistencia/usuarios- 2011 Pesquisa sobre a Mercadoria do Crack no RJ Prof. Michel Misse NECVU (UFRJ) Project looking at the intro To begin in mid-2011http://www.necvu.ifcs.ufrj.br/ 2010 Projeto Ta Ligado? Christiane Moema Psicotropicus On-field project (Jacarezin In progress http://www.psicotropicus.org/ Ongoing Abordagen de crianças de rua-usuarias de droga - Fundação São Martinh Project destined to reach o Ongoing http://www.saomartinho.org.br/ao-encontro-dos-meninos-em Ongoing Acolhimento e encaminhamento de crianças e a Genilson/Maria Elena Fundação para Infancia Project establishes partner Ongoing http://www.fia.rj.gov.br/drogas.htm Tel: 3399-1319 / 3399-1317 / 3399-1315 Ongoing Acolhimente e atendimento clinico a usuarios d Fernanda St. Martin CEAD Project works to attend dru Ongoing Tel: 2587-7163 - 2587-7148 - 2589-3269 - Ongoing Pesquisa e atendimento clinico a usuarios de dr Ivone Ponczek Nepad/UERJ Research project on the dr Ongoing Ongoing Abordagen e atendimento social de crianças da Katia Rebello da SilvaCasa Betania/Remer Social house that recruits st Ongoing http://www.remer.org.br/modules/tinycontent/?id=8 Based on the research results (mapping of organizations and institutions): -ONE main research project being conducted in RJ by Fiocruz to understand the crack problematic in Rio and other 28 cities. -ONE clinical research project on the rates of HIV infections among the crack-using population (being conducted by IPUB/PROJAD/UFRJ). -Only ONE project on damage reduction for crack users (redução de danos) taking place in Jacarezinho.
Research Project: How the cycle works in Rio de Janeiro Embaixada Redução de da Liberdade Danos Program Choque de Consumption Ordem in cracolandia/ (Public Crack Security streets user in efforts) RJ Access to State Research and Municipal on crack clinical/ rehab centers epidemic Private /Religious treatment option
Research outcomes and Recommendations Main research outcomes: • Possible establishment of a CPI (Parlamentary Commission of Inquiry) under the mandate of Deputy Marcelo Freixo to look at the problematic of crack in RJ. • Creation of a “Commissão de Enfrentamento ao Crack ” under Rio’s State Public Security Office. • Creation of a research project financed by the CPNq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico ) with NECVU/UFRJ to study the merchandising of crack in RJ. • Understanding of how the State and Municipal governments of Rio are approaching this ongoing crack epidemic (clinical approach). • Extensive experience on the cracolandia allowed to see what is the current state of crack users and what their imminent needs are . Basic Recommendations: Need to advocate for less “ choque de ordem ” operations in the cracolandias and • more projects on damage reduction for crack use. • Push for communication among all institutions and organizations researching and working with crack users- will allow for a more centralized approach to the problem. Incentive for the social, health and mental health sectors to work in conjunction • when providing assistance to crack users in rehab or clinical centers.
What’s going on now and next steps.. Recent news: Rio is currently under watch due to the introduction of a new drug called • oxi. 40% MORE toxic than crack and 80% MORE toxic than cocaine, oxi is rapidly being spread throughout Brazil. So far, oxi has not been detected in RJ. Yet, several sources inform it is already being sold in one particular favela in Rio. Oxi is very similar to crack. It mostly differs on • the composition of the drug- instead of using ammonium and baking soda, traffickers mix cocaine with kerosene and battery water. The “high” produced by oxi is felt in less than 10 • seconds (versus 10-15 with crack). A user of oxi can die in less than one year of constant use. Next Steps: • Upcoming project with Observatorio de Favelas to look at the systematization of the drug trafficking network in Rio with the introduction of the UPP plan and new drugs such as crack and oxi. World Bank project on the re-structuring of drug trafficking in the • community of Manguinhos, as a pre-research before the entrance of a UPP.
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