Demand Reduction

Abstract

The Vienna United Nations International Conference on Drug Abuse and Trafficking in 1988 signalled a somewhat new direction in drug policy. Instead of primarily concentrating on reducing supply (production and distribution) the conference called for an emphasis on demand reduction (consumption). Since then demand reduction has become an increasingly important concept, although much remains much to be done. For example, EMCDDA (1997b, Chapter 2) devotes an entire chapter in its second annual report to demand reduction efforts within the EU. Yet when it comes to allocation of resources there seem to be other priorities. For instance in 1995 the EU spent about 27.9 million ECUs on anti-drug actions. Of this sum approximately 4 per cent was spent on the alleviation of poverty. This is 20 per cent less than what was spent on drug-related telecommunications (EMCDDA, 1996, p. 4:2).

Creating a society with a better and more just distribution of income, housing, education, work-environment and culture is a way to prevent the social maladjustment which often causes criminality; and thereby is certainly of greater importance than use of the penal system against crimes which have already been committed. (From a proposal for a new law sent by the Swedish government to parliament, Regeringens proposition, 1982/83:85, p. 30)