Coherence policy markers for psychoactive substances

Identifying effective approaches to creating coherent policies regarding licit
and illicit drugs has been the priority of the Pompidou Group during its
2010-14 work programme. Over the years, research has evolved in this field as
demonstrated in the group’s publications: From a policy on illegal drugs to a
policy on psychoactive substances in 2008 and Towards an integrated policy on
psychoactive substances: a theoretical and empirical analysis in 2010, and
then Reflections on the concept of coherency for a policy on psychoactive
substances and beyond in 2012.

This last publication attempted to put into perspective the salient points of
what may be termed a coherent policy on psychoactive substances. It proposed
six indicators, around which the concept of coherency was developed:
conceptualisation, policy context, legislative and regulatory frameworks,
strategic frameworks, responses/interventions and structures and resources.

The initial target for the use of these six indicators is that all drugs
policies should be in line with the concept of “well-being”. At the very
least, they should not contradict each other and at best they should be in
harmony. On this basis, in 2013 and 2014, researchers refined these indicators
and tested them in their countries, namely Croatia, the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway and Portugal to verify whether they
provided a valid tool to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of a
coherent policy on psychoactive substances.

The results appear in this publication and indicate that such markers may be
indeed used as a basis for discussion on the issue of coherence and in some
cases as a means to better implement coherent policies in respect to
psychoactive substances, and also possibly policies that address other forms
of addictive behaviour.