EUROPEAN CITIES AGAINST DRUGS

ECAD is Europe's leading organisation promoting a drug free Europe and representing millions of European citizens.
Drug dealing and drug abuse cause enormous problems in Europe. Nations and their citizens are affected by the consequences of drug abuse.
ECAD member cities work to develop initiatives and efforts against drug abuse supporting the United Nations Conventions which oppose legalisation and promote policies to eradicate drug abuse worldwide.
Has your city joined ECAD?
 
 

To discuss, decide and implement measures to combat the drug problem are challenging tasks, which require a lot of consideration of the various issues involved.

Millions of young people are involved in and affected by drug-related problems. Unemployment, poverty and lack of perspectives for the future are part of everyday life for many young people in Europe. To make drugs more easily available in such circumstances would make the situation worse for many people.

Too often we take it for granted that every citizen in our societies, politicians, members of various organisations, including law enforcement, want to prevent use of drugs. However, this is no longer necessarily true. A growing movement in some European countries and in some countries in other continents is now discussing how to reduce drug-related harm or how to manage the risks involved when using drugs and some even propose to decriminalise and/or legalise certain drugs.

It is necessary to realise that to prevent use of drugs is something completely different from reducing drug-related harm. Trying to reduce drug-related harm is quite often the consequence when you have failed to prevent drug-use in the first place.

ECAD believes in and works for a drug-free Europe. Drugs are not a basic part of our culture. A number of cities and countries have been successful in their combat against drugs by combining restrictive policies with a wide range of preventive measures and offering abusers various forms of care and treatment. It is possible to introduce changes to reduce the spread of drugs. In doing so, it is most important to actively encourage young people to reject all drugs.

ECAD does not believe in making a distinction between 'hard' and 'soft' drugs. Drugs are dangerous. Consequently, the use of cannabis should be opposed with much the same vigour as other drugs.

ECAD supports the existing UN drug conventions, the Political Declaration and the Guiding Principles of Demand Reduction approved at the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs in New York in June 1998 and urges intensified national and international co-operation to fight drugs. The United Nations should be given power to control flagrant breaches of conventions and international agreements wherever they emerge. If some countries allow drugs to be made freely available, they undermine the possibilities of other countries and cities to curb the spread of drugs.

European Cities Against Drugs are

• in favour of real freedom, not the manipulative 'freedom' experienced through drugs
• in favour of societal actions to decrease unemployment, racism and social injustice
• in favour of abstinence-oriented measures to wean drug users off drugs
• in favour of developing care and treatment for drug users
• in favour of pro-active and assertive prevention measures
• in favour of international co-operation
• against legalisation of presently illicit drugs
   

ECAD ACTIVITIES

What does ECAD do?
ECAD

• distributes printed drug-related information
• has its own website on the Internet (www.ecad.net)
• gives lectures on drug-related topics all over Europe
• gathers information on drug-related matters from all over the world
• arranges regional meetings for participating member cities
• arranges seminars and conferences on research on drugs, prevention, care and treatment, law enforcement activities and national and international co-operation
• initiates local and regional projects in co-operation with member cities
• co-arranges and co-hosts the annual Mayors' Conference of the European Cities Against Drugs held in different member city each year
• develops and maintains contacts with local, regional and national governments, the European Union, the United
• Nations and other international bodies in order to actively influence and intensify efforts to combat drugs.
   

Why should your village, town, city or capital join ECAD?
By joining ECAD

• you show your will and dedication to create a better society not only for young people but for everybody who wants to live in a creative, productive and safe environment
• you are prepared to actively influence your environment to make it a better and safer place - free from drugs
• you will be part of an international network of knowledgeable and dedicated citizens who believe it is better to act than to react
• you will have access to and contact with a large number of citizens, politicians and professionals from all walks of life in countries all over Europe in order to increase knowledge, understanding and exchange of views and ideas about drug-related issues
• you will have the opportunity to participate in meetings, seminars, conferences and projects created by local people for local people
• you will, last hut not least, make a lot of new friends
   

We look forward to meeting you! For contact and additional information, contact the ECAD office in Stockholm:
Phone +46 8 508 29 063
Fax +46 8 508 29 466
E-mail ecad@ecad.net