Home > EU to launch Green Paper to look at drug use in society

[European Commission] EU to launch Green Paper to look at drug use in society. (20 Jun 2006)

External website: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?refe...

In an effort to address drug use, the European Commission is to launch a Green Paper entitled the Consultation of Civil Society in the Drugs Field.

This will see the launch of a consultation process which will give citizens who use or drugs or those affected by drug use an opportunity to voice their views. * A wide range of organisations and NGOs will also be invited to make their opinions and experiences known. The consultation period will start on July and should and will run until the end of September. *

The Commission and the European Monitoring centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) will then use the collected data and information as a basis for their future policies, allowing them to address the problems drugs cause in society with an updated knowledge of the social, political, medical, aspects of the drug problem. * Drug consumption and deaths as a result of drug use are currently at an all time high and show little sign of coming down. It is estimated that in any given month 1.5 million Europeans use cocaine and 12 million use cannabis. Three million use it on an almost daily basis. One fifth of requests for treatment are now related to cannabis, placing it second only to heroin. * Polydrug use, which is basically the systematic and intensive mixing of drugs, often with alcohol is a growing problem throughout Europe. Ecstasy, produced in Europe, is now the second most commonly used drug after cannabis. According to the EMCDDA, up to 8 % of young people in some Member States use cannabis on a regular basis. The press conference will be held on Monday 26 June 2006 with Vice-président Franco Frattini and (tbc) Commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Markos Kyprianou.

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