Statement des Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Sucht- und Drogenfragen zur 67. Sitzung der Commission of Narcotic Drugs

(Es gilt das gesprochene Wort. Die Pressemitteilung zur 66. Sitzung der Commission of Narcotic Drugs lesen Sie hier: https://www.bundesdrogenbeauftragter.de/presse/detail/bundesregierung-stellt-bei-un-konferenz-neue-anstrengungen-bei-suchtpraevention-und-organisierter-kriminalitaets-bekaempfung-vor/)

Mr Chairman, 

Madam Executive Director,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We all wish for a perfect world, a world where drug-related challenges would not deter our progress, or impact the health and welfare of humankind.  And, actually, we have all worked very hard for this aspiration to become a reality.

Nevertheless, today we see that:

• The illicit production and trafficking of drugs is record high.
• Organized crime continues to threaten the progress made with democratic institutions.
• And thousands human beings continue to die due to drug use or associated diseases!

Again and again, we notice: Simple, unilateral solutions do not deliver!

The world drug situation is complex, and – no wonder – successful policies must therefore be balanced, integrated and comprehensive, too.

More than ever, we need to fight together against drug cartels by stepping up cooperation between origin, transit and destination countries of illicit drugs.

And it is high time to accelerate all efforts in the fields of demand reduction, too: through evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, counselling and, of course, treatment!

And, whatever we do, we have to recognize how interrelated issues are and integrate our knowledge of the drivers and causes in our policy, on both sides - drug supply and drug demand.  We must address causes and not just the symptoms!

In Germany, we strive for an evidence-based, integrated, balanced and comprehensive drug and addiction policy:

• We combat organised crime and drug trafficking by stepping up police cooperation and we continue to monitor current challenges and strengthen our preparedness regarding synthetic drugs, NPS and other challenges that threaten our public health and security.
• At the same time, we strongly improve our prevention and harm reduction approach, for instance, with a new cannabis policy and by having introduced a federal legal framework for scientifically supported model projects on drug checking.
• and as in the past years, Germany, together with Peru and Thailand are co-tabling a resolution which focuses on future perspectives on how to effectively implement the UN Guiding Principles on AD and therefore focus on the causes of the issue.  I kindly request your support for this resolution.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Nothing is perfect, we must constantly adapt and improve.

Let us use this Mid-Term Review to take an honest look at how much progress has been made but more importantly, how we can use evidence to attain more balanced, more integrated, more comprehensive and hence a more successful and sustainable drug policy!

And finally, on behalf of the Federal Government of Germany, it is my pleasure to proclaim a twofold pledge4action to address both demand and supply aspects:

“With a view to enhancing the implementation of all international drug policy commitments, and in addressing our common challenges, I pledge for Germany:

• To increase the 2024 budget of our federal government for drug and addiction prevention measures by 6 million euros.

And in order to better prepare for future challenges to start a national project called “Agent K” to analyse the growing and evolving narcotic threat of Ketamine and work on science-based strategies to tackle these.