Ministers of the Council at the sectoral meeting on the Misuse of Drugs, Dublin, March 2002 - Click to Enlarge

MISUSE OF DRUGS

Lead Administration – Ireland

At the first British-Irish Council Summit meeting December 1999, it was agreed that the Irish Government would take responsibility for advancing work in relation to the problems of Misuse of Drugs.

This is an issue of very serious concern to all Members of the Council who share a full commitment to addressing this challenge as a matter of priority.  In view of its importance, and to promote enhanced co-operation in this vital work, the Summit in Dublin on 30 November 2001 had this issue as its central focus.  At the meeting, Members agreed elements for a framework for future co-operation focusing on the two key areas of Demand Reduction (incorporating prevention and treatment) and Supply Reduction (incorporating law enforcement).

It was agreed that the further development of information exchange between Members of the BIC could be used to enhance cooperation on models of best practice, pilot programmes and treatment models.  The Council noted the importance of information technology in enhancing information exchange, and agreed to further examine possibilities for co-operation in this area.

The Council also agreed that joint actions by the BIC could include highlighting the risks of heroin use and targeting young people who are using ‘recreational' drugs.  Future joint training initiatives within the British-Irish Council could include exchange programmes for participants from BIC Members engaged in drug-related work.

In order to advance this co-operation, the Council established a group of Drugs Officials, mandated to prepare recommendations for future co-operation in these areas.  This group has brought forward recommendations to advance the work in this area to relevant Ministers who met in Dublin in March 2002 and, more recently in February 2003.  Ministers have reiterated their commitment to combating the misuse of drugs, targeting the proceeds of drug trafficking, and in particular, the need to divert young people at risk of drug misuse into healthier pursuits and providing opportunities for training and employment to recovering drug misusers.

At the February 2003 meeting of BIC Ministers in this sector, Members discussed the recent Conferences and Seminars including, “Targeting the Proceeds of the Drugs Trade/Assets Confiscation” which took place in Guernsey in May and November 2002.  The UK reported on the Positive Futures Initiative study visit which took place in London on July 2002.  Members were also updated on the conference hosted by Scotland in December 2002 on ’Educational, Training and Employment Opportunities for Recovering Drug Users’.  In addition, the Isle of Man reported on its conference ‘Drug and Alcohol Strategies – Progress in Action’ which took place in Douglas in October 2002.

At the February meeting, Ministers agreed that future meetings will include a Seminar on ‘Awareness Campaigns’, hosted by the Irish Government in Dublin Castle in June 2003 and a conference hosted by Guernsey on ‘Emerging Trends in Drug Use and Treatment Modalities’, which will take place in Guernsey in September 2003.  In addition, later this year, the British Government intends to host a conference on working with business to combat drug misuse.

The next Ministerial meeting is scheduled for February 2004.

Please click here to view the Communiqués issued following the Summit and the Ministerial meeting on the subject of the Misuse of Drugs.