Spanish National Drug Strategy

Laws & Policies

"A new Spanish National Drug Strategy (2009–16) was adopted in early 2009. The strategy, which is comprehensive and focuses on illicit drugs, alcohol and other substances, has five fields of action: demand reduction (prevention, risk reduction and harm reduction, treatment and social reintegration); supply reduction; improvement of basic and applied scientific knowledge; training; and international cooperation. Two specific chapters of the strategy are also devoted to its coordination and to its evaluation. The strategy has 14 objectives, including diminishing the use of legal and illegal drugs, to delay the age of initiation of contact with drugs, to guarantee quality assistance, adapted to the needs of all people affected by drug use, to reduce or limit the harm caused to drug users health and to facilitate their social integration.
"The first of two four-year action plans to implement the strategy was adopted in October 2009 covering the period through to the end of 2012. Containing the same fourteen objectives as the national strategy, the plan is organised into six areas: coordination; demand reduction; supply reduction; improvement of knowledge; training; and international cooperation. It includes 68 actions and those responsible for delivering them, as well as the indicators to be used for evaluation and the respective data sources. It is expected to evaluate the National Action Plan 2009–12, the evaluation plan was prepared in 2011.
"Spain also developed a specific action programme against cocaine 2007–10 which was structured around four main areas: coordination, demand reduction, international cooperation and supply control. By the programme’s conclusion at the end of 2010, 520 actions had been undertaken within its framework."