Harm Reduction, Party Drugs, and Government Overreach in Tbilisi

Mandala is one of the few harm reduction clinics in Georgia. The small Caucasus country is experiencing an epidemic in drug overdoses, especially with users searching the black market, where contaminated drugs are rampant. The government’s harsh drug laws aren’t discouraging people from using and, in fact, are just leaving recreational users with hefty fines and long prison sentences if they’re caught.

While Mandala is helping hundreds of people use their drugs safely and abusers to kick their habit, the organization’s doors may be forced to close because of a recently-passed foreign agents law that targets organizations that receive most of their funding from the West.

We spoke with staff at Mandala to understand their activities, and listen to their concerns about the foreign agents law and how the uncertainty of the current political environment impacts their work.