Towards a humane drug policy
Narcotics consumption has always been a part of human culture. It is unrealistic to expect people to stop using psychoactive substances. Drug policy has a particularly important role to play when high-risk forms of use pose a threat to the freedom and self-determination of the individuals concerned.
Our drug policies put prevention first. We advocate credible and early measures to prevent or at least reduce dependency and high-risk forms of drug use. However, we believe it is wrong and counterproductive to criminalise drug use. This merely encourages people to turn to the black market, which is completely unregulated. Such an approach is more likely to obstruct genuine and effective prevention. That is why we are in favour of decriminalising soft drugs such as cannabis.
Our approach charts an appropriate course between a state-imposed culture of abstinence and a drug policy based on laissez-faire. We want to put appropriate frameworks in place and enable drug users to modify their behaviour towards health awareness. Our drug policy is rational and people-centred: its key elements are behaviour-oriented prevention , training to encourage a responsible attitude to drugs, and a social and environmental approach to prevention, which means addressing the external conditions that encourage drug use, such as advertising that promotes substance abuse.
Credible policies for all substances
We advocate a consistent, health-oriented drug and addition policy which encompasses illegal and legal drugs and behavioural addictions. We aim to provide a mix of measures in order to provide effective support for the prevention of problematical forms of use and promote freedom from dependency. Our aim is to establish drug policies which strengthen people's commitment to live a drug-free life. People who use drugs nonetheless should be encouraged and enabled to adopt a responsible attitude towards drugs and non-substance addictive behaviours.
Support for survival: therapy and damage limitation
We want well-structured therapeutic services for persons with addictions. The choice of treatment or therapy should not be determined by the provisions of narcotics legislation or political criteria, but must be appropriate to the individual situation. Continuity of funding and a high level of commitment are essential to safeguard the quality of therapy. Greater account must be taken of predicted changes in drug use habits (lifestyle drugs, prescription drugs).
Services that aim to mitigate the adverse effects of drug use on individual patients must be established at the level closest to them. Criminalising the possession of drugs has a negative effect on the persons concerned. We advocate the introduction of easily accessible drug checking programmes for certain psychoactive substances, in order to prevent damage to health from harmful additives or drug concoctions, for example.