Drug Policy in the European Union

[pinto]

Mr. Steves is primarily known as a 'travel' writer, but has a good eye for the life and times outside the US.

Drug Policy in the European Union
By Rick Steves

Europe has a drug-abuse problem, and they know it. But the way they choose to address it differs sharply from the USA's philosophy. In preparation for a talk I recently gave at the national ACLU convention, I studied the European Union drug policy pages and wove in my own anecdotal experience on the European approach to drug use and abuse. Here's what I came up with:

The European Union, with over 400 million people, figures it has about 2 million drug addicts — a high point historically. Twenty percent of Europeans have tried marijuana; 3 percent have tried cocaine, amphetamines, and ecstasy; and only half a percent have tried heroin. But whereas America tends to treat drug use as a moral and legal issue, Europeans take a more pragmatic approach: Drug addiction is an illness, not a crime.

The EU drug policy is all about harm reduction. It wants to limit the negative impact on individuals (health, antisocial behavior) and the negative impact drug use has on society in general (crime and the costs of health-care and policing). The goals are to reduce use (especially by those under 18); reduce drug-related deaths and health problems (especially AIDS); reduce supply and demand; and reduce drug-related crime. The strategy uses a three-pronged approach: police work to minimize the supply of drugs and identify problem users; anti-drug education to warn their people about the dangers of drugs; and support from the medical community to help addicts get back their lives.

All of the European Union literature on drug policy barely mentions marijuana (which is considered a "soft drug," whose harm to society is minimal). Instead, heroin is the main concern. Of the 7,000 deaths blamed on drugs every year, 70 percent are from opioids (mostly heroin). The nasty thing about the heroin problem is that half of the heroin-users use needles, and the sharing of needles spreads AIDS and Hepatitis C.


<snip>

Europeans believe that you can't simply legislate drug addiction away. They're determined not to find a "cure" that is more costly than the problem. Europeans do spend tax revenue to deal with their marijuana problem. But, rather than taking the American approach, they embrace the basic philosophy that a wise drug policy reduces harm to society. Europe has learned that for every euro invested in education and counseling, 15 euros are saved in police enforcement and health-care costs.

<Steve's perspective continues at:>

http://www.ricksteves.com/about/pressroom/activism/drugpolicy.htm

[Fovea]

1. Amerikan drug policy

has nothing to do with public well-being.
It is at heart a system of social control.

If you look at it that way, and that way only, it makes sense.

[Trillo]

2. Thanks, that's a good read.

I found this snip rather romantic:

The French noticed boys had a bigger pot problem than girls, and figured it might be because they were nervous about approaching girls socially. They actually instituted "communications projects," literally boosting young boys' confidence by giving them training in flirting.

Balancing that, we are reminded of the religious zealots who want to control everyone:

Now and then there is a backlash in Europe against the easy approach to personal use of soft drugs. It is motored by local right-wing and Christian groups, and by American foreign policy.

[pinto]

3. Yeah, I thought it was a good read, too. A fresh eye on the picture.

And a seemingly unbiased one as well. :think: