Regional drug strategies across the world

This paper offers a comparison of the drug strategies and plans adopted over the last five years by six intergovernmental organisations engaging 148 countries in four continents.

It informs decision-makers, professionals and researchers working in the area of international drug policy about the way in which countries of the same region have decided to strategically approach drug-related security, social and health problems.

Drug strategies and plans offer interesting insights both when analysed individually and when compared across regions. This paper describes the way in which drug strategies are structured and addresses their priorities and objectives.

It looks at the main approaches to demand and supply reduction and analyses the manner in which these interventions are referred from region to region. The content analysis reveals interesting similarities but also important differences. When seen in the light of the current international drugs policy debate, regional drug strategies may provide an important contribution for assessing the drug problem at international level.

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