Declaration: Call for a Public Health Oriented Drug Policy, Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development (November 2015)

This declaration was published by the Council of Europe in November 2015. The declaration acknowledges that drug-control efforts have been responsible for human rights abuses in the EU, and that the war on drugs has failed to reduce both drug use and trafficking. 

Furthermore the declaration stresses the need for member states to implement harm reduction measures as a long-term way of combatting drug use. Effects of implementing such measures can be seen throughout society, and range from reduction of criminal behaviour, reduced cost for health and criminal justice systems, reduced risk of HIV transmission and ultimately reduced levels of drug use.

Citation: Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development of the Parliamentary Assembly, 'Declaration: Call for a Public Health Oriented Drug Policy' (2015), Council of Europe, AS/Soc/Inf (2015) 08