The Declaration of Oviedo: Incorporating Prevention in Drug Policies

Authors

1.Mr. Oriol Esculies (⚑ Spain) 1

2.Ms. Lucía Goberna (⚑ Switzerland) 2

3.Ms. Aránzazu Fernández (⚑ Spain) 1

4.Ms. Regina Mattsson (⚑ Sweden) 3

5.Ms. Sonja Phutachad Neef (⚑ Spain) 1

6.Ms. Natalia Eftaxia Zachartzi (⚑ Greece) 4

7.Mr. Jorge Olivares (⚑ Chile) 5

8.Mr. Augusto Nogueira (⚑ Macao) 6

1. Association Proyecto Hombre, 2. Dianova International, 3. World Federation Against Drugs, 4. SEIRIOS, 5. Federación Latinoamericana de Comunidades Terapéuticas, 6. ARTM

Abstract

Drug use continues to pose evident challenges to populations worldwide. In just one decade, it has grown by 23%. At the same time, science proved that a significant portion of drug-use related problems is preventable. The 2023 World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime identified the need to provide and implement international large-scale drug-use prevention initiatives. 

On June 9th, 2023, international experts met in Oviedo, Spain, to explore effective strategies for preventing drug use aligned with international scientific standards. Stemming from the consultation, the 2024 Declaration of Oviedo has been adopted to scale up evidence-based prevention strategies at the forefront of drug policy, and the proposals will be presented at the ISSUP Global Event in Thessaloniki. More than 150 experts on prevention have contributed globally.