The city of Marseilles decided to open its first drug consumption room. Read our interview with Beatrice Strambul, who has been in the forefront of the harm reduction movement in France since the 1990s.
European Drug Policy
The European Drug Policy Initiative (EDPI) is a project of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) in cooperation with professionals and NGOs from six European countries: Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Serbia. We selected these target countries in order to reflect the diversity of national drug policies and geopolitical characteristics found in the European Union and its candidates. Bulgaria and Poland represent new member states with restrictive drug policies, while older member states like Portugal are considered to have a more liberal approach. National drug policies cannot be differentiated using the East/West divide that exists within the EU. For instance, Sweden is famous for its democratic welfare society but has a traditionally restrictive attitude toward mind altering substances. On the other hand, the Czech Republic, having endured decades under a totalitarian regime, now endorses a relatively liberal drug policy.
The aim of the project is to advance drug policy reform in the European Union with providing tools for advocacy in the national and international level:
- public opinion surveys
- videos on national drug policy issues (posted on video sharing sites)
- media work (improving the press coverage of national/international campaigns)
- targeting political parties
- targeting international decision making forums (e.g. UN and EU forums)
We have tremendous amounts of evidence both on the harmful unintended consequences of current drug control policies and on the effectiveness of alternative harm reduction measures. However, the ciritcal voices of professionals and NGOs are not heard by the mainstream society. EDPI aims to implement policy change with oriented campaigns targeting society through the media. It connects scholarship with PR methods, attempts to use modern communication tools to advertise new, innovative answers to drug problems, mobilize drug user communities to come out of the closet. Even though Europe is considered small in a geographical sense compared to the United States, due to cultural and language barriers it is more difficult to raise awareness on the necessity of drug policy reform.
Our donors
EDPI is supported by the Global Drug Policy Program of the Open Society Institute (OSI) and the Commonsense for Drug Policy Foundation.European Drug Policy Initiative News
Our EDPI partners: Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia
Former EDPI Partners: Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Czech Republic
International Harm Reduction Film Festival 2019: Final Programme
Drugreporter and Harm Reduction International co-organises the International Harm Reduction Film Festival next week in Porto, sponsored by Elton John AIDS Fund. There is an incredibly strong selection of movies – browse the programme and watch some trailers below!
On Today’s Menu: Fresh Delights for Harm Reduction Training and Advocacy
Too often, the materials that projects produce are eventually hidden somewhere, forgotten and unused as the project ends. That is a pity, not to mention a waste of resources. To avoid this, we have tried to preserve our materials in places which stay alive and kicking after our project has ended, and the people who […]
Rights Reporter Foundation – Annual Report 2018
A new education video series, a training for activists in Bangkok, filming the Canadian drug policy conference and advocacy at the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs – 2018 was an eventful year in the life of the Rights Reporter Foundation and its drug policy website, Drugreporter. Please explore our activities in our new annual […]
The Devious Nature of Oppression
Oppression can transform us in its own image and likeness in a thousand devious ways. Even when we fight against it. (The Hungarian original of this article is here!)
Finland Needs to Relax Its Restrictive Drug Laws – An Interview with Tuukka Tammi
Finland is debating the opening of its first drug consumption room to respond to high overdose death rates. Tuukka Tammi, a top researcher in the drug field in Finland, says restrictive drug laws should be reformed as well.
HR19 Film Festival at the Harm Reduction International Conference 2019: Call for Submissions!
The Rights Reporter Foundation and Harm Reduction International welcomes entries to the Film Festival at the 26th Harm Reduction International Conference! The deadline is extended to March 13, 2019 (11:59 pm CET)
Where Mental Health and Clubbing Intersect
Although we talk a lot about the risks of drug use at dance parties and festivals, do we address the mental health issues among party going young people as well? Read the article of two Serbian outreach workers from the NGO ReGeneration!
Medical Cannabis Arrives at Pharmacies in Poland
People with a doctor’s prescription can now go to Polish pharmacies and buy one of the most ancient medicine in the world: cannabis. Read Adam Stasiak’s report from Warsaw!
Civil Society Identifies Huge Gaps to Be Bridged in Implementing the EU Action Plan on Drugs
In its new report, the EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) urges member states and EU institutions to fulfill their commitments and bridge the gaps in providing access to and improving quality of prevention, treatment and harm reduction services.
