Aleksander Kwasniewski, the former President of Poland and chair of the Eastern and Central European and Central Asian Commission on Drug Policy (ECECACD), inaugurated the 6th European Harm Reduction Conference (#EHRC2024) in Warsaw on December 2, 2024. During his address, he reflected on the evolution of his perspectives regarding drug policy: “During my presidency, I enacted several restrictive drug-related laws. However, after completing two terms, I recognized the detrimental effects of that legislation. Subsequently, I was invited to join the Global Commission on Drug Policy, where I took the initiative in 2019 to establish the ECECACD. I am proud to collaborate with an esteemed group of former heads of state, prime ministers, parliamentarians, and diplomats who have acknowledged their past missteps in drug policy. Together, we advocate for a drug policy grounded in evidence and human rights at a high political level. In the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region, where geopolitical challenges abound, we will persist in our efforts to counter Russian narratives and approaches to drug policy. It is imperative that we champion necessary reforms for a better future.”
Vytenis Andriukaitis, a member of the European Parliament and the ECECACD, shared his insights on the new EU Drug Strategy during the conference. He underscored the pivotal role of the EU Parliament in promoting drug policy reforms in EU accession candidate countries, including Ukraine, Moldova, and the Balkan states. “Presently, we observe an increase in security-oriented perspectives within the EU, particularly in the realms of public health and drug policy. This trend poses a potential risk to achieving a more balanced and less enforcement-centric approach. We must remain committed to upholding human rights, the rule of law, and democratic values as we engage in discussions and devise policy reforms.”
He continued, “The new EU Drug Strategy should provide a clear vision and actionable steps for EU accession candidate countries. This represents a significant opportunity for nations like the Balkan states, Ukraine, and Moldova to implement drug policy reforms as part of their accession journey. Support from relevant EU institutions is essential to facilitate these reforms.”
Professor Michel Kazatchkine, a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy and the ECECACD, addressed participants at the pre-conference session titled “Public Health Policing, Drug Policy Reform and Human Rights: The Role of Law Enforcement in Access to Health and Harm Reduction in CEECA Countries” on December 1, 2024.
In his remarks, Professor Kazatchkine highlighted the human rights implications of drug policy and policing practices in the EECA region. He asserted, “The existing system has perpetuated a criminal justice approach to drugs that has not only failed to decrease drug use and production but has also led to poorer health outcomes, diminished security, heightened violence, and violations of human rights.” He presented compelling arguments against the criminalization of minor drug offenses, stating that this strategy is inherently flawed: it has proven ineffective in deterring drug use; coupled with stigma, discrimination, and violence, has impeded both the provision of and access to harm reduction services, resulting in systemic human rights violations across the region and contributing to mass incarceration and prison overcrowding.
Professor Kazatchkine underscored the necessity of adopting policies that prioritize both individual and public health by decriminalizing drug use and possession for personal use, enhancing access to harm reduction services, reallocating funding from punitive measures to health interventions, and refocusing law enforcement efforts on serious crimes such as trafficking and money laundering.
He concluded by posing a critical question: “Do the UN conventions and their application in criminal justice conflict with universal human rights, including the right to health and adequate care, the right to freedom from discrimination, the right to equality before the law, and the right to privacy?”
