Luxembourg's Ministry of Health has presented the national illicit drugs action plan for 2020 to 2024.
The general objective of this plan is to help achieve a high level of protection in terms of public health, public security and social cohesion.
More specifically, the plan aims to: provide objective and reliable information on psychoactive substances and the effects and potential consequences of their use; prevent initiation into addictive behaviour; guarantee a diversified and high-quality care offer for people suffering from addictions; significantly reduce the prevalence of drug use and addictive behaviors in the general population; and to reduce the health and social damage that can result from the consumption and trade of illicit drugs and addiction in general.
The 2020-24 national strategy, as well as the associated action plan, are based on the general framework for the fight against drugs and drug addiction laid down by the 2018-23 government programme. It is based on two pillars, namely demand reduction and supply reduction. The four transversal axes of the strategy relate to the reduction of risks, damages and nuisances, information, research and evaluation, international relations and coordination mechanisms.
The development of this national action plan is multidimensional and based on a participatory process. It is primarily based on the external evaluation of past achievements and experiences (Trimbos Instituut, 2019). The involvement of players and experts from different fields of action and disciplines is a second essential instrument.
Among the priorities of the action plan is primarily prevention in the broad sense of the term. As specified by the Minister of Health, Paulette Lenert: "It is important for me to place particular emphasis on young people, particularly in schools [...], with regard to the offers of support for treatment and rehabilitation. Without neglecting other target groups in need of increased care, in particular people with problems related to the use of cannabis and cocaine, ageing dependent people, as well as drug users with specific needs (users living with HIV and / or with increased medical needs, etc.)”.
The substitution treatment offers, including the national programme of assisted treatment with diacetylmorphine, may be extended at the national and international level. Regionalisation and decentralisation, and thereby the diversification and improvement of the accessibility of the targeted offers, continue to constitute the backdrop for future developments. In this sense, increased involvement of municipal authorities is targeted.
In terms of integration and rehabilitation, the extension of existing offers of supervised housing, adapted to the situations and needs of users, and low-threshold socio-professional activation structures are objectives to be achieved.
Finally, the plan will promote and support research on drugs and addiction and the culture of evaluation of specialised offers.
The 2020-24 action plan encompasses around 80 measures, drawn up in close collaboration with players in the field and the competent ministries and approved by the Interministerial Drug Addiction Group. Like the previous action plans, this plan will be subject to a final external evaluation at the end of implementation.
