The project, launched yesterday by the Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina, will enable the development of a drug information system that would facilitate the collection of data related to five key indicators on the demand side.

These are: drug use in the general population, problem drug use, treatment demand, drug-related infectious diseases, and drug-related deaths. Core data on the supply side include: drug seizures, police/custom interventions, prosecution statistics, conviction statistics, penal statistics, drug use among arrestees and drug use among prisoners.

Such a drug information system will enable Malta to monitor, for the first time, the drug situation in its entirety and to have an independent assessment of the current status based on sound science. In addition, the system itself will provide the background material through which the first national report will be compiled by the end of October this year.

The national report itself will provide the background material for a national drug policy which, in turn, will be complemented by the national drug strategy. This will be in tune with the EU Drug Strategy currently being drawn up for the years 2005-2012. A national action plan will then follow, providing the measures and actions to be put in place in order to achieve objectives.

The National Focal Point for Drugs and Drug Addiction provides the institutional structure through which the imperative monitoring of the progress of any such actions will be achieved. For example, one of the objectives of the national strategy may be to reduce blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis C.

Having in place an indicator with which to monitor the progress of any such actions, provides the means through which the action may be adhered to or altered, as the circumstances dictate.

Drug policy is to be based on the principal of social inclusion. It is critical that ex-users are re-integrated into society if they are to have a better chance of fulfilling their potential and of avoiding a relapse. Over the past months, a Joint Inclusion Memorandum has been prepared. The final consultation phase in this area is now in place and will be followed by a national action plan, to be completed by the end of July.

The operation of the national focal point also provides Malta with the opportunity to participate in the activities of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, commonly referred to as EMCDDA.

This includes participation in the Reitox network, which involves meetings and information exchange with the heads of each of the national focal points hailing from 25 EU member states and Norway. Other fora include specific working groups related to the development of indicators, the legal experts group, and opportunities to attend training seminars organised by the Reitox Academy.

The launch of the National Focal Point for Drugs and Drug Addiction comes at an appropriate time, on a national level, and also on a European level, in view of including Malta’s input in the preparation of the EU new Drug Strategy for the years 2005-2012.