Drug policy

Active represents alcohol and drug-abstaining youth organisations throughout Europe. We want to influence the lifes of European youth with our own drug free lifestyle.

Vision
 
Young people need visions and dreams, goals for themselves and for a better future. Active believes that both short-term realistic goals for reducing the need for drugs, and also longer-term dreams and visions necessary. Active's foremost vision is of a society free of drugs. That some people use drugs is attributable to social conditions, their personal situation, and the amount of drugs available. Society must have a tolerant and empathic attitude towards people's shortcomings. The number of marginalised people must be reduced. We regard alcohol as the biggest drug problem in our society, but since society treats alcohol differently we have a separate alcohol policy programme. In this programme, we use the word "drug" as it has been defined by the UN in its various conventions on narcotic drugs. Drug problems are not only national matters. They are also international matters, and require international solutions.

Young people are a resource - not a problem
 
The world of today is already filled with huge problems such as environmental problems, wars and starvation. The young people of today do not need any more obstacles. Chemical influences on the brain can never be the answer to the social and cultural challenges of today. Youth need to be responsible for their own activities. They need to feel safe, and to have the opportunity to express themselves.

Prescription and repression

The prescription of narcotic drugs and repression of drug users are two extremes that should be avoided. Active strongly opposes repression as the sole solution to drug problems. It is the use of drugs, not the drug user, that is the enemy to society. European drug policy must strike a balance between these two extremes. Putting drug addicts in jail or giving them narcotic drugs are simply two sides of the same coin, and neither is working. Society has to deal with its drug problems, not use repression or drug prescription to hide the problem.

Four pillars
 
Work towards a drug-free society rely equally on four pillars supporting each other and together upholding our vision. The four pillars are general life conditions, legislation, prevention and rehabilitation.

1. General life conditions
To create a community in which people can live their lives without drug problems being inflicted upon them, society which should be based on democracy and tolerance greatly needs a common social welfare system, guaranteeing all citizens basic education and medical services, and offering youth structures for improving the quality of their lives.

2. Prevention
Active believes it is much better to prevent people from starting to use drugs than to try to fix the damage to them after they have started using. Primary prevention has to include adequate school information, without unrealistic horror information. Prevention also means building up and supporting the public opinion promoting alcohol and drug-free lifestyle. In this work, it is vital to stress the responsibility of persons working in the music and movie industry as well as the importance of commercials and advertisement free from drug-positive references. Active believes in providing alternatives to drugs, in the form of alternative lifestyles positive to youth environments, on international, national but especially local level. When prevention is unsuccessful, Active recognises the strong need for effective and humane rehabilitation, alternative lifestyles and positive youth environment.

3. Legislation and control policies
Complex political problems need legislation that codifies how to deal with difficult social issues. In the field of narcotic drugs, we need laws that reduce people's opportunities to receive and use drugs. Narcotic drugs are illegal in our society, and should remain that way. However, in order to implement the legislation, a control policy must be established and followed by all parties concerned. Legislation is important, but it will never solve the problem alone.

4. Rehabilitation
Different methods work for different people, in different situations. Therefore a variety of treatment options should be provided. In some areas of Europe, the situation regarding treatment is very difficult. At times, access to treatment is a matter of life or death for the drug-addicted person. No matter what methods are used to save lives in the short term, Active's long range vision is of a drug-free society. Active strongly believes that access to appropriate individual rehabilitation programmes is a basic human right. Of equal importance with the content of the treatment is the social reintegration of the former drug user into society afterwards.

Active demands

Based on the principles outlined above, Active demands:
- Support for positive and meaningful youth activities.
- Opportunities for all young people to enter school and/or working life.
- Adequate drug information in schools.
- More resources for alcohol and drug prevention.
- More resources to control the drug trafficking of Europe.
- More resources for rehabilitation of drug users.
- Opportunities for drug addicted people to go through rehabilitation programmes instead of being sent to jail.
- Resources for care of those related to drugaddicted people, such as parents or children.

Active provides

- Drug free youth activities.
- Drug free youth environments.
- Opportunities for young people to create their own lifestyle.
- Opportunities for young drug addicts to develop an alternative lifestyle.
- Opportunities for children in families with alcohol and drug related problems to get in contact with people who can help and support them.