Third International Symposium on drug consumption rooms

Strasbourg, 4 May 2023

Dear Minister, dear Mayor of Strasbourg, dear EMCDDA Director, dear President of Ithaque, dear colleagues and friends,

Let me first wish you all a warm welcome to the Council of Europe. We are honoured to host, as we did with the 2nd one in July 2021, the 3rd European seminar on drug consumption rooms. I commend the City of Strasbourg and the Ithaque Association for having taken the initiative, back in April 2019, to bring together at the European level policy makers, national and local authorities, experts, professionals, social workers and civil society actors who are engaged in the field of harm and risk reduction.

The Pompidou Group joined the organisation of these biannual gatherings already in 2021, and I am happy that its major partner on the European scene, the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addictions (EMCDDA), is now also part of it. Beyond the main organisers, I would also like to thank the partners of the event, the French Interministerial mission to combat drugs and addictive behaviour (MILDECA), the ARS regional health agency for the Grand Est region, the European Forum for Urban Security (EFUS) and the Correlation Network for their support. This is a collective enterprise, and together we manage to perform things that none of us would be able to achieve by its own.

As part of the Council of Europe, the continent’s unique intergovernmental organisation devoted to the promotion of human rights, the Pompidou Group – named after the former French President who initiated its creation – places human rights at the heart of drug and addiction policies. Its wide-ranging expertise, built up over more than 50 years, provides guidance and practical tools that help decision-makers in its 41 member states to take measures to reduce drugs trafficking and drug use, better treat substance use disorders and reduce the negative impacts of addictions in society.

Last year, the Pompidou Group’s agenda was dominated by its 18th Ministerial Conference, which took place in Lisbon on 13-14 December 2022, under the motto “Human rights at the heart of drug and addiction policies”. Portugal, which has been presiding the Pompidou Group since 2019, hosted the conference, which gathered ministers and high-level representatives from 48 governments and six international organisations or agencies, as well as civil society representatives.

At the Conference, Ministers and high-level participants confirmed their commitment to a human rights centered approach to address drugs, addictions and related disorders. In their “Lisbon Declaration”, they furthermore called for exploring strategies to address addictions related to the use of communication and information technologies, as part of a broad policy direction to be followed by the Pompidou Group in the coming years. They fully supported the decision taken by the Committee of Ministers in March 2022 to end the Russian Federation membership in the Council of Europe, and subsequently in the Pompidou Group, while expressing their strong support to Ukraine, the Pompidou Group’s newest member, and their solidarity with its people faced with the tragic consequences of a war which affects the whole of Europe.

Last but not least, Ministers also adopted a new work programme for 2023-2025, aimed at:

• promoting sustainable drug and addiction policies in conformity with human rights
• safeguarding democratic societies by addressing addictions that impact human autonomy
• protecting the rights of persons belonging to vulnerable and risk groups with drug use and addiction problems, as well as
• reducing the availability of illicit drugs and preventing the diversion of precursors.

At the end of the conference, Italy acceded to the Group’s Presidency, with Switzerland as Vice-Presidency. The new Presidency highlighted its priorities as follows:

• deepen the already existing relationship with each of the member states, observers and countries that otherwise participate in the Group's activities, to get to know the reality of each State well, to increase the exchange and sharing of experiences, models and good practices, and to involve other international organisations, in a spirit of collaboration
• make prevention a priority, to which increasingly adequate information, first and foremost among the very young, accompanied by attention to the treatment and recovery of addicts, is essential
• reduce both the demand, through prevention initiatives, first and foremost in schools, and the supply, by countering drug trafficking and organised crime
• promote a human rights-based approach that is non-stigmatising and non-discriminatory: if we want to build welcoming and safe communities, access to care and treatment services must not be denied to anyone. The right to health must be guaranteed to all. Any policy in this area must be based on scientific evidence accredited by institutional sources, as only this can guarantee its effectiveness
• find a proper balance between freedom and responsibility, at both individual and State level.

Today’s seminar finds its rightful place within both the 2023-2025 Pompidou Group work programme and the priorities of its new Presidency. We will be able to build on the results of the two previous seminars, taking stock of new developments, of progress made and of challenges faced, while enlarging our scope with new geographical areas (North America) and new topics (such as housing or neighbourhood). This will for sure be a source of inspiration for all participants, be they national, local or regional authorities, researchers, social workers or actors from civil society.

The first drug consumption room was launched in 1986 in Bern, Switzerland. At the time, it was a courageous an innovative decision, which led to severe criticism and scepticism. Almost 40 years later, there is a substantial body of scientific evidence which demonstrates that supervised consumption services mitigate a large variety of drug-related harms, including decreasing overdose deaths, infectious disease transmission and connecting people who use drugs to various health and social services. As a consequence, this model is now being implemented not only in ten European countries, but also in other parts of the world such as North America, Australia or New Zealand.

There is no doubt that drug consumption rooms are useful tools in the implementation of drug policies which place respect for human rights at their heart. But to use them or not remains a souverain decision to be taken by member states: I trust that this seminar will contribute to sustain the momentum in favour of such experiences, as an example of good practices which have proven to be successful. This is one of the important roles of the Council of Europe: follow what is happening in its member states, find out if it works and under which conditions, and share experiences as a source of inspiration.

I cannot conclude my intervention without mentioning the 4th Council of Europe Summit, due to take place in less than two weeks in Reykjavik. On this occasion, we expect the political leaders of our 46 member states to solemnly recommitted themselves, at the highest level, to the fundamental values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and to adopt a road map for the Council of Europe action throughout the current decade. What is happening every day in Ukraine since more than one year reminds us that nothing can ever be taken for granted. Tomorrow the Council of Europe will celebrate its 74th birthday, and what is stands for, what it is fighting for, is today more important than ever!