Asociatia Integration, Bucureşti

INTEGRATION Association is the only nongovernmental organization in Bucharest where former drug users activate. In the beginning, in 2004, the association was meant only as a support group, under ARAS' umbrella (Romanian Anti-Aids Association), NGO that was already developing (since 2002) harm reduction programs associated with drug users. Taking into consideration that ARAS could only provide harm reduction services that were no longer sufficient, we felt the need of creating a support group dedicated to drug users. This is how we began to establish meetings every week in order to discuss needs and problems associated with drug use. Ascertaining the existence of many problems - especially the ones of major human rights violation like free access to medical treatment - we decided to become an association. The activities developed so far consisted of identifying the problems, finding solutions and growing the association's number of members, as well as catching users' interest of sustaining their own points of view, needs and rights. The association is addressing to the general population - considering that every person may be a potential drug user - but especially to active drug users, recovering users and persons interested on the phenomena.