European standards in evidence for drug prevention – project supported by the European Union

In the EU currently there is no accepted guideline how to develop and implement evidence based drug prevention programmes. EMCDDA has evolved a lot of methods helping the development of quality of prevention work (e.g. database including guidelines for research and evaluation methods or EDDRA database with different prevention programmes). Nevertheless there has not been created contribution of knowledge on prevention work in the EU. Therefore iatrogenic effects are typical as a result of different programmes (boomerang effect – because of not properly planned or implemented programmes the interest for drug use and other risks is increasing in the target group). On the other hand the member countries have expectations to form and accept minimum standards helping experts on the field and decision makers to implement and support evidence based programmes. So the main goal of current project is to build contact between science, field work and policy. In cooperation with 6 member countries (United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Romania, Italy, Hungary) the project aims to draft minimum standards of evidence based drug prevention programmes considering cultural differences and experiences of the countries. The project has started in 2008 and planned duration is one year.