Policy-makers and experts in addiction held a meeting in Brussels on November 15th to discuss the best ways to address various addiction issues at the EU level, including alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and digital technology. The meeting focused on Czech Republic's presidency of the EU Council and consensus was reached that the priority should be on implementing a comprehensive, empathetic, and realistic approach to help those in need.
It is unrealistic to have a world without drugs, tobacco, and alcohol, and it may not be beneficial for people's mental health. Stringent regulation has little effect on addictive behavior," National Drug Coordinator Jindrich Voboril was quoted in a press release as saying. "What we can do effectively is to minimize the harm. Addiction policies should allow adults to have access to lower-risk addictive products and allow people to make their own choices.
The roundtable organized by the Rational Addiction Policy Institute also discussed views on addressing addiction issues and the role that EU institutions such as EMCDDA should play in this regard.
The European Parliament has sent a clear message in its report on the European Beating Cancer Plan, emphasizing the importance of practical, evidence-based policies. "The European Union Commission should listen to expert opinions and adopt a rational and science-based approach," stated Member of the European Parliament, Radka Maxova.
Viktor Mravcik, head of the science department at IRAP, presented the example of the Czech Republic, which has successfully implemented a comprehensive harm reduction approach to alcohol and tobacco dependence. In a subsequent discussion, Ales Rod, a member of the National Economic Advisory Council and head of the Economic and Market Analysis Center, spoke about his recent research on best practices in managing tobacco dependence policies in several member countries, including the Czech Republic, as well as Sweden.
If we recognize that a drug-free world is impossible, we should consider the impact of regulation. I also urge Sweden, which is about to take on the presidency of the EU Council, to address these issues as a priority and ultimately help Europeans overcome their addiction problems. After all, Sweden has done a lot in this regard," added Swedish psychologist and addiction expert Carl Fagerstrom.
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