Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2002)201 - Prevention and reduction of risks associated with drug dependence - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2002)201 - Prevention and reduction of risks associated with drug dependence. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2002)201  |
| date | 08-05-2002 |
The EU Drugs Strategy (2000-2004), endorsed by the European Council in December 1999, has three main public health targets:
* to reduce significantly over five years the prevalence of illicit drug use, as well as new recruitment to it, particularly among young people under 18 years of age;
* to reduce substantially over five years the incidence of drug-related health damage (HIV, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, etc) and the number of drug-related deaths;
* to increase substantially the number of successfully treated addicts.
The main goal of this Council recommendation, based on Article 152 of the Treaty, is to facilitate the achievement of the second public health target by Member States.
The situation and trends of drug use and drug-related health damage have been described in the annual reports of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) i. Illegal drug use is more concentrated among young adults, with rates up to double or more those of the whole population. Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug, followed by amphetamines and ecstasy in second position, cocaine in an increasing third position and heroin at a broadly stable low level. Prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C among injecting drug users appears relatively stable, although prevalence of hepatitis C infection is high i.
Risk reduction measures have been successful in decreasing drug-related deaths and serious health problems i. Risk reduction includes needle exchange and other hygienic measures involved in drug injecting, substitution treatment i, low threshold services, information and counselling on safer use and safer sex, and outreach work i.
The intensity of the risk reduction responses of the Member States appears to differ considerably between countries. Member States with lower availability of risk reduction measures may be at risk for new increases in HIV, hepatitis B and C transmission i.
Evaluation is a key tool for improving drug prevention and the reduction of drug dependence associated risks i. The EU Drugs Strategy includes a whole chapter on evaluation and Community and national policies could foster significant advances in this area. This Council recommendation will also support the development of evidence-based evaluation to increase the efficacy of drug prevention and the reduction of drug related health risks.
The present Council recommendation is in line with the Declaration on the guiding principles of drug demand reduction adopted at the Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations devoted to countering the world drug problem together, in June 1998, and the Political Declaration adopted at the Ministerial Conference of the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe in October 2000.