The Declaration puts forward 10 proposals for incorporating effective prevention in drug policies, at a global and local level.

Drug use continues to pose evident challenges to populations worldwide. In just one decade, the use of drugs has grown by 23%. At the same time, science is increasingly proving 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 (UNODC) identified the need to provide and implement international large-scale drug-use prevention initiatives.

Recently international and national experts met in the beautiful city of Oviedo, Spain, in a consultation organized by Proyecto Hombre  to explore effective strategies for preventing drug use aligned with international scientific standards. More than 200 experts have worked on a voluntary basis to adopt the Declaration of Oviedo for scaling up prevention at the forefront of drug policy.

“We need to use every evidence-based method we have got, with everyone working together to act on drug related harms. Drug related deaths are avoidable and at Phoenix we believe everyone has a right to life. Fundamental to this approach is respecting the human right to readily available and accessible care that include health promotion, early detection and intervention, harm reduction, addiction treatment, recovery and social integration. I encourage all organisations to sign up to support the Declaration.”

Karen Biggs, Phoenix Chief Exec 

https://www.oviedodeclaration.org/