Coordination of Drug Policy in the Czech Republic (2004)

Contents: Coordination of Drug Policy in the Czech Republic (2004)

• Drug policy is a set of diverse measures implemented by the representatives of a range of professions with often disparate interests. Coordination is essential to ensure that all the players involved respect a joint approach.
• The idea behind the coordination of the drug policy is to initiate and promote widespread cooperation, to optimize the use and outputs of existing resources, and to help form and implement effective measures.
• The Czech drug policy and the system of its coordination are rated by the competent bodies of the European Union as an example of good practices, but there is still room for improvement.
• The basic strategy of drug policy, based on recommendations of the UN General Assembly, is to reduce drug supply, reduce drugs demand, and reduce risks related to the use of drugs.
• There are three levels of drug policy intervention – structural, community, and individual. Behaviour of target groups can be influenced most effectively at community and individual levels. Thus, municipalities need to be motivated to join in actively with the implementation of the drug policy.
• The Czech drug policy is defined by the National Drug Policy Strategy 2001-2004 and is coordinated at two mutually complementary levels – horizontal and vertical.