Harm reduction
The European Union Drugs Strategy(2005-2012)addresses the reduction of drug-related harms to health and society as a main objective and encourages national action that gives emphasis to the reduction of infectious diseases and drug-related deaths. In the first of two consecutive four-year action plans accompanying the Strategy (EU Drugs Action Plan 2005-2008), the preventionand reduction of social harm and health damage is stipulated as the ultimate aim. Objectives defined in the Action Plan to guide Member States include the prevention of health risks related to drug use, adequate availability and accessibility of effective harm reduction services as highlighted already in the Council Recommendation on the prevention and reduction of health-related harmassociated with drug dependenceof 18 June 2003.
Evidence-based harm reduction
Measures to minimise drug-related damage, reduce deaths and mitigate public nuisance arean integral part of many national drug strategies and a clear policy priority in a majority of countries. The project aims to improve the information basis on the level of implementation of evidence based harm reduction measures in the EU Member States and Norway by monitoring national strategies and responses, analysing available evidence and documenting evidence based projects to support the transfer of expertise across Europe. Data are gathered on the whole range of response policies and intervention practices that aimto reduce health-related harm, but a specific focus is on prevention of infectious diseases and reduction of overdose mortality.A further area of work are service quality management issues in low-threshold services.
