Drug consumption and trafficking and their harmful effects on health, urban security and social cohesion pose a significant challenge to European cities, which face evolving drug markets and new challenges in terms of sanctioning and countering such traffic.

Among the problems caused by consumption and trafficking at the local level are the fact that vulnerable groups tend to gather in deprived neighbourhoods, where risky behaviours in public spaces are also more prevalent. Other issues are the impact of new technologies on local drug trafficking, and conflicts and polarisation around drugs combined with stigmatisation and fear.

Efus considers that local and regional authorities play and must play an important role in drug policies because they are on the front line, facing local security and social cohesion issues linked to drug consumption and trafficking. There are many approaches to reduce risks linked to drugs and local and regional authorities are well placed to design multidisciplinary strategies to reduce such risks.

Efus advocates drug policies that are practical and geared towards reducing the risks caused by drug consumption on the health, social well-being and security of individuals, local communities and society. Such strategies should be designed based on the specific needs of each city and region and be easily adjustable to the rapidly evolving policies on and phenomenology of drugs.

> Recommendations from the 2025 Security, Democracy and Cities manifesto

> Reports from the 2024 Security, Democracy and Cities conference
– Global drug trafficking, local impacts and responses
– Drugs and Harm Reduction

> Most recent resolutions adopted by Efus:
– Resolution calling for a coalition of European local and regional authorities to face the drugs crisis (December 2024)
– Resolution expressing Efus’ support for supervised consumption rooms, which have shown  ‘promising results in several European countries’ (November 2018).

> Positioning

In its 2025 Security, Democracy and Cities manifesto Efus says that “any public drug prevention policy should be based on the European guidelines and principles described in the European Union’s Action Plan on Drugs 2021-2025.” It adds that cooperation at local level should be strengthened both with institutions and civil society, notably user associations and specialised schemes, in order to improve the establishment of risk reduction programmes and facilitate access to them. Efus also suggests undertaking “a discussion at European level about new legislation and regulations on the use of cannabis, which should involve local and regional authorities” and to give leeway to local and regional authorities regarding the establishment of safe consumption rooms.