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Report on the Drug Situation 2010 - Bundesministerium für ...

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1 <strong>Drug</strong> Policy: Legislati<strong>on</strong>, Strategies andEc<strong>on</strong>omic AnalysisSince 1998 <strong>the</strong> Narcotic Substances Act (SMG), as amended in December 2008, hasc<strong>on</strong>stituted <strong>the</strong> main framework of Austria’s drug policy. The SMG primarily focuses <strong>on</strong>quantities and not <strong>on</strong> kinds of substance — with <strong>the</strong> excepti<strong>on</strong> of a special provisi<strong>on</strong>c<strong>on</strong>cerning cannabis and mushrooms c<strong>on</strong>taining psilocin, psilotin or psilocybin — andprovides a wide range of alternatives to punishment. At <strong>the</strong> federal level <strong>the</strong> centralactors in <strong>the</strong> field of drug policy include <strong>the</strong> Federal <strong>Drug</strong> Coordinati<strong>on</strong> Office and <strong>the</strong>Federal <strong>Drug</strong> Forum, which coordinates policies with <strong>the</strong> provinces (see Figure 1.1).Due to <strong>the</strong> federal structure of Austria’s health and social care system, <strong>the</strong> provincesplay important roles with regard to <strong>the</strong> adopti<strong>on</strong> and implementati<strong>on</strong> of drug policymeasures. All nine provinces have drawn up drug strategies or addicti<strong>on</strong> plans andnominated <strong>Drug</strong> or Addicti<strong>on</strong> Coordinators. For a detailed discussi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> politicaland organisati<strong>on</strong>al framework please c<strong>on</strong>sult SQ32.<strong>Drug</strong> policy measures are financed primarily by <strong>the</strong> Provincial Governments, <strong>the</strong> socialinsurance funds and <strong>the</strong> Federal Government. The COFOG classificati<strong>on</strong> 1 , which ispromoted by <strong>the</strong> EU, has not fully been implemented in Austria, and in <strong>the</strong> individualbudgets expenditure related to drugs or addicti<strong>on</strong> is hardly specified (see GÖG/ÖBIG2007b). Therefore, no c<strong>on</strong>clusive statements regarding expenditure in this field can begiven for Austria.1.1 Legal frameworkDecember 2009 saw a modificati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> legal basis for opioid substituti<strong>on</strong> treatment(OTS). The amended provisi<strong>on</strong>s aim at a balance between aspects of security <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><strong>on</strong>e hand and treatment <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, in line with <strong>the</strong> recommendati<strong>on</strong>s of a workinggroup composed of <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al <strong>Drug</strong> and Addicti<strong>on</strong> Coordinati<strong>on</strong> Offices, whichassessed <strong>the</strong> effects of <strong>the</strong> amended legal framework that entered into force in 2007(see GÖG/ÖBIG 2007b and 2009b).1COFOG, or Classificati<strong>on</strong> of Functi<strong>on</strong>s of Government (public expenditure broken down by areas of activity)comprises ten divisi<strong>on</strong>s, which are fur<strong>the</strong>r divided into groups and classes. In Austria, <strong>on</strong>ly expenditureaccording to <strong>the</strong> 10 COFOG divisi<strong>on</strong>s, without groups and classes, is available.Chapter 1 / <strong>Drug</strong> Policy: Legislati<strong>on</strong>, Strategies and Ec<strong>on</strong>omic Analysis 5

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