In 1971, former French President Georges Pompidou formed the Pompidou Group (PG), an intergovernmental body of the Council of Europe, whose mission is to provide knowledge, support and solutions for effective, evidence-based drug policies through a human rights perspective. It was created in response to a substantial increase in drug addiction throughout Europe. In 2021, the PG celebrated 50 years of in the same year the PG extended its mandate to take a more inclusive and holistic approach, which now covers addictive behaviours linked to licit substances (such as alcohol and tobacco) and new forms of addiction (such as internet gambling and betting). The PG’s motto, “Human rights at the heart of drug policies”, is manifested through its humane approach to tackling drug addiction as a health issue rather than a crime issue. In fact, many PG member states have implemented low-risk drug consumption rooms, placing individuals’ dignity at the forefront of addressing substance use disorders. 

Refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) can be especially vulnerable to substance use disorders and thus require a great deal of interdisciplinary professional support to manage and overcome the many risks they face as people on the move. In 2017 and 2018 the PG EXASS Net and MedNET networks co-organised two meetings, with the support of the National Drug Co-ordinator of Greece, on “Refugees and Drugs: Estimating needs, support practice, preventing risks”, where practitioners working with migrants, refugees and IDPs expressed concern about their ability to adequately respond to and meet the needs of this target population. To address these concerns, the PG included the activity “Correspond to New Challenges for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs” in the 2019-2022 PG Work Programme and established a support network of professionals (SNP) to work on drug-related challenges for refugees, migrants and IDPs. This network aims to identify and collect common and experimental practices in responding to the needs of the target groups, provide training for professionals working with the target groups, support capacity building, and promote the outcome and conclusions of the project at the European and international level through partner institutions.

In 2017 and 2018 the PG EXASS Net and MedNET networks co-organised two meetings, with the support of the National Drug Co-ordinator of Greece, on “Refugees and Drugs: Estimating needs, support practice, preventing risks”, where practitioners working with migrants, refugees and IDPs expressed concern about their ability to adequately respond to and meet the needs of this target population. To address these concerns, the PG included the activity “Correspond to New Challenges for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs” in the 2019-2022 PG Work Programme and established a support network of professionals (SNP) to work on drug-related challenges for refugees, migrants and IDPs. This network aims to identify and collect common and experimental practices in responding to the needs of the target groups, provide training for professionals working with the target groups, support capacity building, and promote the outcome and conclusions of the project at the European and international level through partner institutions.

This handbook takes a multidisciplinary approach to addressing these risks, as legal, psychological, and socio-cultural understandings are all vital to aiding the target population in a way that preserves their basic right to dignity. It was written by professionals for professionals and functions as a basic guide to understanding the various factors related to working with refugees, migrants and IDPs and how these factors contribute to the development of substance use disorders among the target population. It emphasises an individualistic approach to aiding those of the target population in that while they are all migrants, they are also individuals with unique backgrounds and experiences and should be aided based on their personal needs. The recommendations provided within the handbook are evidence-based and derived from existing literature, best practices, legal cases and documents, and the expert legitimacy of professionals working in the field. It is the PG’s hope that this handbook provides practitioners with the insight and resources they need to adequately treat and respond to the needs of refugees, migrants and IDPs in the context of substance use disorders.