Drugs

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The problem of drug misuse is tackled in a coordinated and integrated way under the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025 which was developed following a broad and open public process of consultation across the country.

The Strategy is being delivered by a range of government departments and agencies and in partnership with the community and voluntary drug treatment sectors.

The Department of Justice along with its associated agencies continue to work closely with statutory, community and voluntary partners in tackling the problem of drug misuse under the drug policy framework established under the Strategy. While advocating a harm reduction approach the Strategy places a greater emphasis on supporting a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. The Healthy Ireland Framework provides the overarching context for the development of the Strategy.

Aims of the strategy

The Strategy seeks to provide an integrated public health approach to substance misuse. It is designed to tackle the problem in a comprehensive and integrated way by actions taken under 5 strategic goals:

• Goal 1: Promote and protect health and wellbeing
• Goal 2: Minimise the harms caused by the use and misuse of substances and promote rehabilitation and recovery
• Goal 3: Address the harms of drug markets and reduce assess to drugs for harmful use
• Goal 4: Support the participation of individuals, families and communities
• Goal 5: Develop sound and comprehensive evidence informed policies and actions

The range of actions set out in the Action Plan contained in the Strategy, of which there are 50, facilitates an evidence based and monitored approach to achieving the overall strategic objective and aims of our national drug policy.

The designation of substances as controlled substances is the responsibility of the Department of Health under the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2016.

• information on drugs and alcohol treatment services are available from the HSE
• directory of drugs services

• role of An Garda Síochána - National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau
• Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme
• details of Garda drug seizures are available in the annual reports of An Garda Síochána

• National Documentation Centre on Drug Use
• Drugs.ie
• National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol (NACDA)

• EU Drugs Strategy
• The European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)
• Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics
• United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC)