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How is drug policy developed? Members of the Pompidou Group research platform from 17 European countries have studied this question, taking into account differing national political contexts, the influence of international conventions and drug strategies at V European level, the evolution of scientific knowledge, and treatment of drug addiction in the most broad sense of the word. This work in part provides a reply to the question whether countries opt for an integrated policy on substances, or for a separate policy for each substance. This publication also attempts to identify to what extent civil society, practice and science influence the formulation of drug policy.
Identifying effective approaches to creating coherent policies regarding licit and illicit drugs has been the priority of the Pompidou Group during its 2010-14 work programme. Over the years, research has evolved in this field as demonstrated in the group’s publications: From a policy on illegal drugs to a policy on psychoactive substances in 2008 and Towards an integrated policy on psychoactive substances: a theoretical and empirical analysis in 2010, and then Reflections on the concept of coherency for a policy on psychoactive substances and beyond in 2012. This last publication attempted to put into perspective the salient points of what may be termed a coherent policy on psychoactive substances. It proposed six indicators, around which the concept of coherency was developed: conceptualisation, policy context, legislative and regulatory frameworks, strategic frameworks, responses/interventions and structures and resources. The initial target for the use of these six indicators is that all drugs policies should be in line with the concept of “well-being”. At the very least, they should not contradict each other and at best they should be in harmony. On this basis, in 2013 and 2014, researchers refined these indicators and tested them in their countries, namely Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway and Portugal to verify whether they provided a valid tool to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of a coherent policy on psychoactive substances. The results appear in this publication and indicate that such markers may be indeed used as a basis for discussion on the issue of coherence and in some cases as a means to better implement coherent policies in respect to psychoactive substances, and also possibly policies that address other forms of addictive behaviour.
How are the problems associated with different psychoactive substances, illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco described? How is the nature of the "problem" shaped by research evidence, media coverage, cultural mores and social, economic and political considerations? To what extent does policy reflect a consistent approach to different psychoactive substances? What objectives do policies on drugs, alcohol and tobacco pursue? Do the structures in place support the co-ordination and/or integration of these policies? The issue of psychoactive substance policies (and beyond) is currently at the forefront of policy making in a number of countries, including those participating in this study, together with the issue of how such a policy may be implemented in a coherent manner. Continuing the work carried out in two previous publications, From a policy on illegal drugs to a policy on psychoactive substances (2008) and Towards an integrated policy on psychoactive substances: a theoretical and empirical analysis (2010), this work attempts to put into perspective the salient points of what may be termed a coherent policy on psychoactive substances and beyond. It proposes six indicators, around which the concept of coherency is articulated: conceptualisation, policy context, legislative and regulatory framework, strategic framework, responses/interventions, and structures and resources. The results of this study may be a surprise to some in the field, and tie in with broader efforts by the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in the sphere of policy coherence for development. The Council of Europe has 47 member states, covering virtually the entire continent of Europe. It seeks to develop common democratic and legal principles based on the European Convention on Human Rights and other reference texts on the protection of individuals. Ever since it was founded in 1949, in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Council of Europe has symbolised reconciliation. Book jacket.
This publication builds upon the work of From a policy on illegal drugs to a policy on psychoactive substances (2008), which examined the ways in which drug policy is formulated and applied in a number of European countries, especially in the light of the move from single policies on alcohol, tobacco and drugs to one which incorporates all of these substances. This volume further presents the scientific grounds for choosing between a separate policy for each substance and a single, "integrated" policy incorporating all substances. It also examines how policy is implemented in seven countries selected to cover the entire spectrum, namely those countries with separate policies for each substance and those with an integrated policy. Substance use impinges on the quality of life of individuals and society at large, leading the authors to conclude that new scientific evidence should be given greater consideration. Moreover, it appears that policy co-ordination is a fundamental issue in determining whether policies are integrated or not. The question remains open, however, as to which structures and bodies can better serve single policies or an integrated policy for all substances.
Identifying effective approaches to creating coherent policies regarding licit and illicit drugs has been the priority of the Pompidou Group during its 2010-14 work programme. Over the years, research has evolved in this field as demonstrated in the group's publications: From a policy on illegal drugs to a policy on psychoactive substances in 2008 and Towards an integrated policy on psychoactive substances: a theoretical and empirical analysis in 2010, and then Reflections on the concept of coherency for a policy on psychoactive substances and beyond in 2012. This last publication attempted to put into perspective the salient points of what may be termed a coherent policy on psychoactive substances. It proposed six indicators, around which the concept of coherency was developed: conceptualisation, policy context, legislative and regulatory frameworks, strategic frameworks, responses/interventions and structures and resources. The initial target for the use of these six indicators is that all drugs policies should be in line with the concept of "well-being". At the very least, they should not contradict each other and at best they should be in harmony. On this basis, in 2013 and 2014, researchers refined these indicators and tested them in their countries, namely Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway and Portugal to verify whether they provided a valid tool to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of a coherent policy on psychoactive substances. The results appear in this publication and indicate that such markers may be indeed used as a basis for discussion on the issue of coherence and in some cases as a means to better implement coherent policies in respect to psychoactive substances, and also possibly policies that address other forms of addictive behaviour.
Illegal psychoactive substances and illicit prescription drugs are currently used on a daily basis all over the world. Affecting public health and social welfare, illicit drug use is linked to disease, disability, and social problems. Faced with an increase in usage, national and global policymakers are turning to addiction science for guidance on how to create evidence-based drug policy. Drug Policy and the Public Good is an objective analytical basis on which to build global drug policies. It presents the accumulated scientific knowledge on drug use in relation to policy development on a national and international level. By also revealing new epidemiological data on the global dimensions of drug misuse, it questions existing regulations and highlights the growing need for evidence-based, realistic, and coordinated drug policy. A critical review of cumulative scientific evidence, Drug Policy and the Public Good discusses four areas of drug policy; primary prevention programs in schools and other settings; supply reduction programs, including legal enforcement and drug interdiction; treatment interventions and harm reduction approaches; and control of the legal market through prescription drug regimes. In addition, it analyses the current state of global drug policy, and advocates improvements in the drafting of public health policy. Drug Policy and the Public Good is a global source of information and inspiration for policymakers involved in public health and social welfare. Presenting new research on illicit and prescription drug use, it is also an essential tool for academics, and a significant contribution to the translation of addiction research into effective drug policy.
How should the war on drugs be fought? Everyone seems to agree that the United States ought to use a combination of several different approaches to combat the destructive effects of illegal drug use. Yet there is a remarkable paucity of data and research information that policy makers require if they are to create a useful, realistic policy package-details about drug use, drug market economics, and perhaps most importantly the impact of drug enforcement activities. Informing America's Policy on Illegal Drugs recommends ways to close these gaps in our understanding-by obtaining the necessary data on drug prices and consumption (quantity in addition to frequency); upgrading federal management of drug statistics; and improving our evaluation of prevention, interdiction, enforcement, and treatment efforts. The committee reviews what we do and do not know about illegal drugs and how data are assembled and used by federal agencies. The book explores the data and research information needed to support strong drug policy analysis, describes the best methods to use, explains how to avoid misleading conclusions, and outlines strategies for increasing access to data. Informing America's Policy on Illegal Drugs also discusses how researchers can incorporate randomization into studies of drug treatment and how state and local agencies can compare alternative approaches to drug enforcement. Charting a course toward a better-informed illegal drugs policy, this book will be important to federal and state policy makers, regulators, researchers, program administrators, enforcement officials, journalists, and advocates concerned about illegal drug use.
While there have always been norms and customs around the use of drugs, explicit public policies--regulations, taxes, and prohibitions--designed to control drug abuse are a more recent phenomenon. Those policies sometimes have terrible side-effects: most prominently the development of criminal enterprises dealing in forbidden (or untaxed) drugs and the use of the profits of drug-dealing to finance insurgency and terrorism. Neither a drug-free world nor a world of free drugs seems to be on offer, leaving citizens and officials to face the age-old problem: What are we going to do about drugs? In Drugs and Drug Policy, three noted authorities survey the subject with exceptional clarity, in this addition to the acclaimed series, What Everyone Needs to Know®. They begin, by defining "drugs," examining how they work in the brain, discussing the nature of addiction, and exploring the damage they do to users. The book moves on to policy, answering questions about legalization, the role of criminal prohibitions, and the relative legal tolerance for alcohol and tobacco. The authors then dissect the illicit trade, from street dealers to the flow of money to the effect of catching kingpins, and show the precise nature of the relationship between drugs and crime. They examine treatment, both its effectiveness and the role of public policy, and discuss the beneficial effects of some abusable substances. Finally they move outward to look at the role of drugs in our foreign policy, their relationship to terrorism, and the ugly politics that surround the issue. Crisp, clear, and comprehensive, this is a handy and up-to-date overview of one of the most pressing topics in today's world. What Everyone Needs to Know® is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.
This book presents a comprehensive examination of the drug control policy process in the United States. How are policy choices identified, debated and selected? How are the consequences of governmental policy measured and evaluated? How, if at all, do we learn from our mistakes? Zimring and Hawkins present different ways of understanding American drug policy and provide a foundation for an improved policy process. They argue that protection of children and youth should shape policy toward illicit crime, with attention to the fact that youth protection objectives may limit the effectiveness of some drug controls.
Drug-taking and drug control are alike: Both are often done to excess. Against Excess shows how we can limit the damage done by drugs and the damage done by drug policies. Mark Kleiman cuts through the rhetoric of the war on drugs and the legalization debate to discuss the practical options available for the control of the entire range of psychoactive substances, offering detailed prescriptions for managing alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. Against Excess explains why and how drugs in general--including currently legal drugs--are unlike other consumer goods in ways that justify governmental control over their distribution and use, then reviews the vocabulary of policy instruments through which that control can be exercised. The book is organized around three questions: Why do some people who can manage the rest of their lives get into trouble with drugs? How do their problems harm their families and their communities? What can governments do about this situation? Kleiman argues that we need to develop a middle course between prohibition and complete legal availability: a new category of "grudging toleration" that would apply to alcohol and to some of the currently prohibited drugs. He also argues that, as a practical matter, drug programs--enforcement, persuasion, and helping and controlling problem users--may be as important as the laws. Here is the definitive book on drug policy by one of the country's leading experts on the subject.