Under the pretext of fighting a war on drugs to “protect the children,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is preparing a major crackdown on civil society and free speech. This could lead to harm reduction and drug policy reform being repressed—much like in Russia—including Drugreporter itself.
On 17 March, just two days after Hungarians commemorated the 1848 revolution, which demanded political freedoms, the ruling party proposed constitutional amendments restricting civil liberties in the name of “child protection.” One amendment prioritises “the protection of children’s physical, mental, and moral development” over all other rights. Based on this, the government has passed a new law banning the annual Budapest Pride march, claiming it poses a threat to children’s well-being. In addition to restricting freedom of expression on LGBTQ issues, the government also introduced a constitutional amendment banning “the use, distribution, and promotion of illicit drugs.”
Drug use is already a criminal offence in Hungary before this amendment, so it is unclear how this would aid law enforcement. A more likely explanation is that the amendment aims to intimidate and silence opposition parties, civil society organisations, and independent journalists who advocate for a human rights-based approach to drug policy. The ban on “drug promotion” could pave the way for legislation similar to Russia’s “drug propaganda law,” which effectively silences discussions on harm reduction or drug policy reform.
The first sign that this amendment will be used to suppress critics came when police banned a 20 April (420) cannabis legalisation protest organised by a small opposition party. Authorities justified the ban by claiming the protest would violate the constitutional prohibition on “promoting drugs.” The organisers have vowed to challenge the decision in court. Meanwhile, pro-government politicians and lawyers have argued that the ban should apply to all forms of speech that contradict the government’s strict prohibitionist stance—including harm reduction education.
“Anyone who expresses positive thoughts about drugs is promoting them,” said László Horváth, Orbán’s newly appointed Commissioner to Fight Drug Trafficking. “Even someone who talks about how difficult, almost hopeless, it is to quit using drugs is also promoting them. Likewise, someone who discusses the positive effects of drugs—saying that different substances lift a person’s mood, make them feel strong, eliminate their sense of danger, fill them with energy, or serve as an escape from social difficulties—is also promoting them. Instead of such positive or neutral speech, it must be said a hundred times over that drugs are poison and they kill. Everyone. It must be stated clearly that if someone starts using and becomes addicted, it will be extremely difficult to turn back.”
“Focusing on harm reduction instead of prevention can fundamentally contradict anti-drug criminal laws, which may mislead potential users and put those who use substances in a serious situation,” said László Lomnici, a pro-government lawyer. He stated that the government’s war on drugs has “two key objectives: eliminating drug-related crime and preventing progressive drug liberalisation efforts.”
Kristóf Téglásy, head of the so-called Drug Research Institute—a government-organised NGO (GONGO) established to counter critical civil society voices such as Drugreporter—has even proposed banning symbols like the hemp leaf, which he compared to the swastika.
Orbán’s war on drugs, announced in February (read our article here!), is led by a new police agency modelled after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Over the past few weeks, multiple police raids have targeted both drug traffickers and users, with authorities claiming the goal is to “eliminate drug trafficking.” This campaign is backed by a media offensive, with pro-government politicians launching attacks against drug policy reform groups.
As one of the leading independent voices advocating for harm reduction policies in opposition-led Budapest, Drugreporter has become a prime target. Alexandra Szentkirályi, head of the Budapest faction of the ruling party, posted a video accusing Drugreporter of being a “Soros-organisation” and calling its director a “pro-drug activist“.
However, Drugreporter has mounted a determined defence, using social media and independent media to counter the government’s narrative. It has criticised Orbán’s administration for using the war on drugs as a smokescreen to mask its failure to address complex social problems—while simultaneously cracking down on critical civil society voices.
