ReageraMera

Your Majesty, visiting dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen.

It is with great pleasure that I take part in this opening of the first World Forum Against Drugs, and I suppose it is the first time in Sweden for many of you - so heartily welcome to Sweden.

I am very proud that this forum takes place here in Sweden, and I can only thank the many active, local NGOs for their tireless work as organizers.

There are participants from more than 80 countries and from different professions and organizations. This mix of people and experiences will help to make this conference useful and successful.

Sweden has for a very long time been active in the field of prevention and, If I may say so, we have had some successes along the way but we have also learnt that this work needs to be an ongoing priority for society. Consequently, Sweden has invested heavily in addressing the drug problem. We have among the highest proportion of drug related expenditures in the European Union.

This conference puts a lot of emphasis on the voluntary or NGO sector. Rightly so. In many instances, NGOs and volunteers play a crucial role in the work against drugs. NGOs are extremely good at detecting new social problems which the government agencies can be unaware of. NGOs are vey good in meeting specific needs which are crucial for a person to be able to overcome the problems associated with poverty and exclusion.

Therefore we must work together in prevention, in care and treatment, and in the very important rehabilitation.

Here in Sweden we are fortunate to have a number of active NGOs. The government's primary role is to make policy decisions, to draw up overall strategies - after listening to the NGOs - and to give the appropriate support. But we also need support from the general public.

In my country we have today a political consensus and a broad public support for our comprehensive and restrictive drug policy. This drug policy is based on the UN conventions. It aims to reduce both the supply and the demand of narcotics. More specifically, the policy focuses on prevention, treatment and control - three equally strong pillars.

The vision is a drug free society.

Our view is that some measures of harm reduction are a complement to other policies and efforts. Therefore, during your visit here, you will see that Sweden accepts measures aimed at limiting the adverse consequences of drug abuse. But they can never be the only policy option. They are elements in a comprehensive care system, and they don´t change the fact that illicit drugs cannot be accepted, and that the respect for human dignity demands a strong commitment to combat drug abuse. To reduce the demand for drugs and to tackle the negative social and health consequences are complementary efforts.

Ten years have now passed since the world community came together to plan for the work against drugs. The plans were both comprehensive and far-reaching, but maybe we have not always been successful in implementing them. The resolution which will be adopted here at this conference is part of a global UNGASS review process.

Sweden has always been a staunch supporter of the UN conventions on drugs and of international collaboration in general. In our view, illegal drugs are connected with poverty, with hiv/AIDS, with corruption and criminality.

Illegal drugs constitute a threat to security and to a democratic development in the world. The approach, consequently, requires close international collaboration, and e.g. also using development assistance to combat drugs.

I am happy to reiterate Sweden's active support for a continuous central role for the UN conventions. The strong commitment from your side to show that there is public support for the conventions will further uphold respect for them.

Sweden has a low level of drug use or experimental drug use among young people. We have made surveys among school kids, about their drug use, since 1971. It is a unique material, and we make good use of it. The agency that coordinates the gathering and presentation of these surveys are also involved in the European ESPAD surveys. They are just about to begin the coordination of a new all European survey that will now include 44 countries.

Nationally, the Swedish government has adopted an action plan on drugs for the coming years. Among the priorities are young people, and one way to support them is by supporting their parents in their parenting efforts. Another priority is to follow the introduction and evolvement of new drugs. The Internet is a newly opened shop to market and sell new drugs. It is open 24 hours and always reachable wherever you are. What used to be only a place for drug liberal views is now a place to get hold of new, dangerous drugs.

Different kinds of designer or synthetic drugs are sold over the Internet, and just recently my government classified Fenazepam and prohibited this dangerous drug. In these cases we have to step in actively with efforts to protect children and young people, and we have to do it quickly once a new drug is detected.

It is extremely important for NGOs and government bodies to learn to monitor the Internet closely and to learn about the new drugs which are sold there. Let me therefore say that this conference is a perfect place to gather new knowledge and to share experiences.

Probably you have, just as I have, watched the Olympic Games. New world records, or Olympic records, or world records, were set. Athletes improve their performance and get better - this is the basic idea about sports. But I also know that we can improve our performance - our work against drugs. We can get better in what we do. Let me therefore declare the World Games Against Drugs inaugurated. I welcome you to improve your performance and maybe even to compete in how to best tackle the illegal drug situation.

Thank you. And now - let the Games begin!