A world where every woman is free and able to choose her sexual orientation and gender identity, style and lifestyle; to decide whether to marry or not and when, to have or not to have children; to find personal fulfillment; to have control over her own body; to decide when and with whom to spend time, to have sex and when to say no; to use psychoactive substances. Not to have to justify herself to anyone. Not to be pathologized. And not to blame herself later.
A world where women who use psychoactive substances allow themselves to be themselves and are given the opportunity to develop and fulfill their potential.
Here’s what must change so that we can live freely and happily, staying healthy and prosperous.
Here’s the external prerequisite: responsible drug policy: a state-, science- and community-regulated market for psychoactive substances, the creation of which will shift society from demonizing substances and users to supporting them, informing them, creating opportunities to maintain and improve their quality of life.
Internal prerequisite: Opportunities for women to fulfill themselves as individuals; time and support for women to be able to make decisions; access to resources.
Our experience suggests that men feel the same as women, when they are high or they are in pain, but the consequences are different. In our region, which is Eastern Europe and Central Asia it’s dangerous for women to openly ask questions or voice concerns about drug use.
Еach of us should gather, publish and use our experience and awareness of the consequences of living in a man-centered system under the repressive drug policy, to try and change attitudes towards women who use drugs.