– With this government, all use of drugs will continue to be prohibited, said Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) when the government presented its drug reform on Friday. She refers to increased cocaine use, and the crime and insecurity that comes with the drug. – This money is often the engine of criminal networks that we do not want here in Norway, she says. The government is therefore adamant that they will not allow drug use. Regardless of quantity. – There is no one who can walk around and believe that you cannot risk any consequences if you choose to use drugs. No matter what type it is, says Justice Minister Mehl. She announces a new bill before Easter, which applies to punishment for keeping or using drugs. Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) and Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) presented the Støre government’s new drug policy on Friday. She warns that, among other things, they will look at drug control and drug contracts for young people. And clarify what the police are allowed to do when it comes to, for example, searches. Mehl said they would propose legislating that drug addicts should not, as a general rule, be punished for use. But instead punish the culprits severely. – The criminal networks that distribute and sell illegal drugs must be stopped. The government’s drug measures All use and storage of drugs will continue to be prohibited, even small amounts for personal use No liberalization of regulations around alcohol New criminal regime for drug use will be presented before Easter Legislation that those who are addicted to drugs as a general rule should not be prosecuted for drug use Give the police more effective tools for enforcing the ban on drugs “Drug testing” should, as a general rule, be carried out as a saliva test, not a urine test Clarify what the police are entitled to when it comes to, for example, searches Consider greater requirements for attendance at drug units in the municipalities Consider more use of drug control or drug contracts for young people Meetings with disappointment At Friday’s press conference, Minister of Health Jan Christian Vestre took stock of Norwegian drug policy over decades: – We must recognize that this policy, at least parts of it, have failed, said the Minister of Health. Jan Christian Vestre promises a new line in the treatment of people with serious addiction problems. He believes that over time Norway has failed many people with drug problems. – This report to the Storting is a definitive settlement with shame, stigmatization and discrimination, said Vestre. But the government’s reform was met with disappointment by the opposition in the Storting: news Arild Hermstad, party leader in MDG: This pointless reform pisses me off. The government has spent three years delivering an empty document that could have been put together in three weeks. It is undignified towards all those who struggle with addiction. These need help, not more empty talk from a government paralyzed in action. NT Marian Hussein, deputy leader of SV: People who struggle with addiction need help, not punishment. What Vestre put forward today is that the government considers help and embraces punishment. We are deeply disappointed. This is not a reform, it is a drug policy stomach slap at a critical time. We are taking a clear step backwards on the penalty line and there will be no new money for addiction treatment. William Jobling / news Guri Melby, party leader Venstre: This is not a drug reform, this is a new penal regime. Since the Labor Party voted down the Liberal and Solberg government’s proposals for drug reform, around 1,000 people have lost their lives to overdoses in Norway. In the three years that have passed since Ap and Sp took over, the government has closed down treatment places and demolished addiction care. This is not the drug reform that Norway needs. Aurora Ytreberg Meløe / news Dag Inge Ulstein, party leader KrF: It is urgent to overcome the serious increase in the use and normalization of drugs that has grown on Støre’s watch. The police are still left in limbo, without enough tools to detect and prevent drug use. The direction of Norwegian drug policy must be one of solidarity and strictness. There are two sides to the same issue. The government’s drug reform does not provide enough reaction or help, this is a betrayal. Mathias Moene Rød / news Seher Aydar, spokesperson for health policy in Rødt: It is completely absurd that the health minister is presenting a treatment reform at the same time as important drug treatment services are being demolished and price is emphasized at the expense of quality. It is lousy politics that goes beyond important professional environments for people who need it badly. This is far from good enough. Nadir Mohammad Alam / news Bård Hoksrud, spokesperson for health policy in FrP The government is far too late to act in the drug field, and is putting forward a proposal in the same week that they are cutting over 100 places in good offers for drug addicts in Health South-East. It is obvious that the government’s war against private and non-profit actors has been prioritized higher than help for drug addicts. Nor is the organization Actis – the drug field’s cooperation organization – impressed. – This is not a reform, it is a description of the situation, says Secretary General Inger Lise Hansen. – Respect and dignity Vestre presented new measures on Friday to improve health care for drug addicts. – We will now have more user rooms in our municipalities. We must have more drug-assisted rehabilitation. We will put in place both drug testing and drug monitoring, he says. The government’s health measures in the drug field On 25 October, Støre’s government presented the first part of its drug reform. Here they came up with several measures concerning healthcare for drug addicts. Among other things: That drug treatment becomes a greater part of the public offer Demand for a shorter waiting time for drug treatment than other treatment in hospitals Service for analysis of the content of drugs Strengthen drug treatment services in Norwegian prisons, and the cooperation between hospitals and prisons Build capacity in services for women at risk of violence with substance abuse disorders Trials with community clinics around the country Investigate annual check-ups with a GP and exemption from deductibles for people with substance abuse disorders More targeting of subsidies that target mental health and substance abuse More and better drug-assisted rehabilitation (LAR) Make it easier to establish user rooms Look at treatment for hepatitis C Committee to prepare future drug treatment Action plan against overdoses Look at opportunities in the regulations to prioritize ideal players in the drug field – Everyone with drug problems must be confident that they get the health care they are entitled to. And meet with respect and dignity, says the Minister of Health. But they do not make concrete promises about more places for drug treatment. Before the government’s presentation, the ministers were met by demonstrators protesting against the closure of drug sites. Demonstrators have turned up to protest against the closure of drug sites. Photo: Johanna Hauge / news The government says it will increase capacity in drug treatment. But only “according to projections and within the framework of the hospital’s finances.” They therefore do not put new, fresh money on the table. At the same time, they will soften the rules around user rooms, where drugs can be taken in safe surroundings. – We need more and better user rooms in the municipalities, says Vestre. Today there are only two user rooms – one in Oslo and one in Bergen. – We also believe that it is time to establish good drug analysis services. Which allows those who use drugs to check the contents, says Vestre. All this spring Vestre announced that the government will move substance abuse treatment for children from child protection to the health system. It is part of the government’s proposal now. Jan Christian Vestre and the government will shift the responsibility for substance abuse treatment of children from child protection. Photo: NTB Want treatment Before the presentation, Vestre met bowing demonstrators outside. – Our slogan is “help, not punishment”, says Arild Knudsen, head of the Association for Humane Drug Policy. He is reacting to what he calls a razing of the drug field. At the same time, overdoses have increased. – We are in an overdose crisis. Now it is the highest number of overdoses in over 20 years. Now we hope for a policy that stops this betrayal, he says. Arild Knudsen was among the protesters who showed up before the presentation of the reform. Photo: Johanna Hauge / news Will not be legal He also wants decriminalization. – I believe that using drugs is not a criminal offence. We are not criminals because we use alternatives to alcohol, says Knudsen. Head of the Association for humane drug policy Arild Knutsen wants the drug field to be decriminalised. But it is not relevant for the government. They have been clear that they still want drug use to be illegal. – We maintain the clear ban on all drug use, Mehl said during Friday’s press conference. In August, Norway’s Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) came out strongly against the previous government’s drug policy. He then advocated tightening, not liberalisation, of drug policy. Facts about the government’s drug reform The government declaration that the Center Party and the Labor Party agreed on at Hurdalsjøen states that the current drug policy must be changed, and that drug addicts “must be met with help and treatment instead of criminal sanctions”. At the same time, the government clearly says no to general decriminalization of drugs. Instead, a “prevention and treatment reform for the addiction field, which strengthens the municipalities’ preventive services and integrated aftercare” is promised. Voted down Conservative reform Ap and Sp agreed that they wanted changes in drug policy when they negotiated government power after the election in 2021. But the roots of the “reform” are older. For the spring of 2021, a historic reform was under consideration in the Storting. Erna Solberg’s second government wanted to decriminalize the use of small amounts of drugs. They got a coalition that spanned from Rødt to KrF in the Storting. But three parties decided and voted the reform down: Frp, Ap and Sp. Instead, the government that took over after Solberg announced its own drug reform. So it’s coming now. Will not punish drug addicts Even though Solberg’s drug reform failed, it was a clear signal from the Storting that they believe drug addicts should not be punished. That signal was picked up by the Supreme Court, which in several judgments decided not to punish the storage of small quantities in such cases. In 2022, Norway’s Attorney General Jørn Maurud therefore came up with new guidelines which said that drug addicts who take small amounts of drugs should not be prosecuted. Mehl is now warning that they will legislate this. The police have said several times that it has made it more difficult to punish people for drug use. Earlier this year Maurud asked for clarification about what it means to be addicted to drugs. The police have asked for more use of urine samples. But they do not get support for this from the government. Instead, they are considering introducing new rules which state that investigations into drug use will, as a general rule, be carried out as saliva samples, according to Justice Minister Mehl. CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this matter, we used the title: “Government’s drug reform presented: nothing about punishment”. It is an imprecise wording and has been changed. Published 25/10/2024, at 10.45 Updated 25/10/2024, at 15.21
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The Støre government presents its drug reform – Greater Oslo
