A Forum for a Drug Free World Future

The Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe (FDFE) participated in the first World Forum Against Drugs (WFAD) held from 8 to 10 September 2008 in the City Conference Centre of Stockholm (Sweden). There were more than 500 participants coming from 82 countries, i.e. more than 40% of the countries from the 5 continents of the world were represented. The Forum, organized under the direction of Bab Bergvall, was a unique opportunity to talk and discuss the most efficient actions to undertake to build up a safer, drug free world. The speakers, all high calibre persons, were coming from different walks of society such as health ministers, scholars, scientists, international drug policy makers, and representatives of voluntary organizations from all around the globe.

The opening session started with an introduction made by H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden, who is also an Honorary Member of the International Mentor Foundation, the aim of which is prevention of drug abuse. She put the stress on the current globalization of the drug problem, the great role parents have to play in the education of the teenagers and that the drug problem needs a team approach to protect our youth.

All the participants and attendees had a common interest : to develop the prevention of drug abuse instead of focusing on policies that put the stress on harm reduction and drug legalization, which are a total failure as evidenced by history. Indeed, tolerance of drugs and harm reduction practices are making illegal drug use easier and cheaper, and thus contribute to increasing their illegal use, and finally they develop more harm for individuals and the society as drugs fuel crime and violence.

“This Forum evidenced that we can get rid of drug use by preventatively empowering youth and adults with facts about illicit drugs so they can make an informed decision to say no. The FDFE is providing educative tools in the form of informational booklets entitled ‘The Truth About Drugs' and a recent DVD with 16 video public service messages illustrating the problems of drug abuse. These documents enable the public to gain a personal understanding of what drugs are and how they affect the body and mind” stated Christian Mirre, the FDFE representative.

As a conclusion, a 24-point “Declaration of World Forum Against Drugs – Stockholm Sweden, 2008” was proposed, supporting the works of :

• the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (in article 1) ;
• the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) (in article 6),
• opposing all forms of legalization of illicit/psychotropic drugs (in article 14) ;
• and asking in article 24 that : “The developed countries must reduce the demand for drugs and assist the developing countries in the fight against drug abuse and drug trafficking”.

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