Joint statement: European drug policy

Today is 4/20, the day when people worldwide light up a joint to celebrate the fact that we have the freedom to choose for ourselves whether we want to occasionally escape the daily pressures of living in a capitalist system. This year, GroenLinks and the Labour Party decided to hold their congress on this day: an excellent opportunity to make a political point about drugs and drug policy!

At the European level, security, cooperation across borders, and human rights are debated daily. The topic of drugs is almost never mentioned in these. It is not a priority for policymakers because the European Union wants to leave it to member states. As far as we are concerned, this is a bad thing.

Dutch, progressive MEPs have a unique position that allows them to put this issue on the agenda. The Netherlands, formerly a guiding country on drug use, can thus take up a pioneering role again.

We therefore like to raise three points. First, we argue for a stronger guiding European drugs policy. Member States now have to invent the wheel themselves, leading to a patchwork of rules. This while we have agreed EU rules for many other goods. If we gather more knowledge on drug policy best practices at European level, the EU can help member states to modernise drug laws. The European drugs authority EMCDDA can play a role in this.

Second, we ask MEPs to stand up for the decriminalising drug users. There is a huge stigma on the recreational use of drugs, which is much worse in some states. If people use drugs responsibly, i.e. with tested substances, with consent and in moderation, they should not be unnecessarily criminalised by the state. At the European level, there is a continuous fight for people to be treated properly. We advocate holding member states to account when they pursue repressive policies towards their own residents.

Third, we specifically ask focus on border regions. In Brabant and Zeeland, we notice daily the consequences of fragmented drug policy: drug tourism, huge illegal production resulting in crime and environmental damage, and social disruption due to undermining. Border regions are particularly vulnerable if member states remain navel-gazing and refuse to look across borders. That is why we call for extra attention to these areas.

With this joint statement, we want to encourage MEPs to work on this over the next five years. We will also continue to draw attention to this issue with activities, actions and by influencing local politics.

- Luc, Nordin, Tobias, Pim & Rick