United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

Statement by National Drug Prevention Alliance (UK): 26th June 2006

We in the NDPA congratulate and support the commendable work of the United Nations on the serious situation with drug abuse and trafficking, in their movement towards the goal of a healthy society. This brief statement is appended by an extract from our statement on this day last year.
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2006 Statement

IT IS TIME TO THINK AGAIN. In many countries over many years we have seen Harm Reduction promoted as a primary policy, with scant evidence or support. It is now time to ask for that evidence – and to ask whether harm reduction is a real policy, or just a cover for fatalism. The speculative promotion of liberalist drug policies in Europe as well as Britain is now well past its sell-by date. The true goal should be to improve and disseminate effective prevention, across the community.

Recent surveys (McKeganey, Glasgow) show that most drug users do not want harm reduction, they want help to give up. If this is what really users want, why are we listening to those who advocate otherwise?

As the UNODC says, ‘Drugs are not Child’s Play’ – and yet we do little to really educate our children to stay away from them. The so-called ‘War on Drugs’ has not so much been ‘lost’ as never fought. Britain’s Prime Minister bemoans the existence of feral children in crime, but does not even mention the linking function that comes from drug abuse. At the same time his opponent says we must have Responsibility as well as Liberty – true indeed, but the same person also suggests ‘Shooting Galleries’, and downgrading of drug classification. The easing of cannabis law has done nothing but facilitate worse conditions, especially amongst the young.

SOME OF OUR 2005 STATEMENTS:

• It remains the case that Prevention is not only "better than cure" - it is also cheaper. Effective prevention must engage the whole of society.
• Prevention must get better at selling its story !
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• Intervention and treatment will always be needed; one goal of prevention should be to minimise the load upon these response services.
• Enforcement remains an essential part of drug policy, with a dual purpose – not just policing society's actions but contributing to prevention by providing a moral compass.
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• There is a place for intervening to reduce harm; that place is when harm has started. Those who suggest that it should be preached to non-users are libertarian political activists seeking to destabilise, and should be seen as such.
• Harm to the user is only a part of the story - harm is to others around the user, up to and including society as a whole, and it should be acknowledged that harm starts from the first day of use, much of it caused by users who are a long way short of addiction.
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• Apologists for drug abuse suggest that using is a matter of 'human rights'. Prevention workers should recognise that human rights are a factor, but not just for the user - for the non-users too. A health-oriented strategy will seek to reconcile the rights of the individual against the rights of society. In this context we should not be afraid of saying 'no' when that is the right answer to a proposed action. It should be incontestable that with every 'right' there comes a 'responsibility'.

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With good wishes to the United Nations and to everyone else engaged in this vital work. From the National Drug Prevention Alliance. 26th June 2005.
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