Sundheds- og Forebyggelsesudvalget 2013-14
SUU Alm.del Bilag 578
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Delegation of Denmark
Agenda item 4
Statement
57 Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
High-Level Segment
General debate
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Mr. Chairman,
I refer to the statement of Greece on behalf of the European Union and its Member
States – a statement which the Danish delegation of course fully supports.
Progress has been made since the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on
International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter
the World Drug Problem was adopted at the High-Level Segment of the fifty-second
Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in 2009.
However, the drug problem continues to pose a serious threat to people who use
drugs and to society as a whole.
On this background, the Government of Denmark welcomes this opportunity for the
Member States of the United Nations to undertake a mid-term review of the
progress made in the implementation of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action.
Mr. Chairman, please allow me to dwell on a few points which are essential to the
achievement of the goals set out in the Political Declaration and Plan of Action.
Drug policies at national and international level should be balanced. Prohibition and
control cannot stand alone. Supply reduction has to be balanced with a sharp focus
on evidence-based prevention, early intervention and treatment.
Harm reduction, including reduction of drug-related deaths, should be an essential
element of drug policies at national and international level. Regrettably, harm
reduction – both as a term and as concrete measures – gives rise to debate.
It is important to keep in mind that the overall aims of drug policies are the health
and welfare of human beings as well as the combatting of drug abuse and the
harms and risks resulting from drug abuse. On this background, harm reduction
High-Level Segment of the 57
th
Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs - 13-14 March 2014
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Delegation of Denmark
Agenda item 4
measures have been introduced in Denmark and they have proved to be an
essential element of our drug policy.
Recognizing that despite the efforts to reduce both supply and demand, use of
drugs is still a problem and a source of harm. What we have experienced in
Denmark is that real results in the reduction of harm are achievable. Some of the
harm reduction measures introduced in Denmark are complex and expensive
whereas others are simple and the costs involved relatively limited. Common to the
harm reduction measures is that both people who use drugs and society as a whole
benefit from them.
This approach is based on the conviction that drug policies at national and
international level should be built on human rights. Everybody, including people
who use drugs, has
the right to be treated with dignity.
We encourage the use of a human rights based approach and we would welcome
the recognition of harm reduction as an essential element of drug policy here in
Vienna. In countering the world drug problem, all states have human rights
commitments alongside the commitments under the drugs conventions.
To the achievement of the goals set out in the Political Declaration and Plan of
Action it is also essential that civil society is involved in the development and
implementation of drug policies at national and international level. Not least in the
process leading up to the General Assembly’s Special Session on the World Drug
Problem in 2016, involvement of civil society will provide the Member States with
important experience and knowledge.
To conclude, despite our joint efforts we are still facing serious challenges – not
least the number of drug-related deaths and the proportions of harm resulting from
drug use. Balanced and evidence-based drug policies built on human rights as well
as developed and implemented through the involvement of civil society are
essential to meet these challenges.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
High-Level Segment of the 57
th
Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs - 13-14 March 2014
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of 2 page(s)