It only remains for me, as Chairman of the Advisory Board, to bring down the curtain, as it were, on the 10th Mayors' Conference.
It has been a most stimulating event because of the knowledge, competence and commitment of our many speakers and because of the involvement of a great cross-section of delegates who travelled great distances - in many cases - to be part of the conference devoted to protecting and improving the quality of life for people in our European homeland. Let us not forget the 15 year old Swedish girl Ellinor Frisk, who gave us such a clear and unambiguous message.
The fact that we had such a successful Mayors' Conference is also due to the organisational ability and the generosity of the City of Stockholm.
Stockholm - thank you sincerely for being such a welcoming, accommodating and generous host!
Since 9.30 yesterday morning we have been at the 'crossroads' considering what road should be taken by Drugs Policy as ECAD moves into the second decade of its existence.
We are clearly agreed on the route to be followed and we have identified 6 milestones we wish to pass as we journey along that road:
- - ECAD recognises that there are divergent views regarding the future of Europe's drug
policy. It reaffirms its policy of supporting and assisting a democratic and restrictive
policy in line with the UN Conventions on Drugs and also article 33 of the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- - ECAD must continue its policy of opposing efforts to legalise drugs.
- - ECAD must counteract disinformation on drugs and on the consequences for individuals
and communities from drug experimentation.
- - ECAD will continue its efforts to educate politicians and the general public about the
devastating social consequences inherent in a free drug society
- - ECAD will appeal to politicians at local, national and European levels not to act merely
in accordance with what they think is possible to do rather that what is necessary to do.
- - ECAD reaffirms its belief that a drug free Europe is neither utopian nor impossible.
To achieve this ideal we appeal for co-ordinated efforts on the part of statutory authorities,
voluntary agencies and community groups to come to assistance of thousands of our fellow
Europeans who have been robbed of their dignity and freedom through drug addiction and to
protect society in general from being contaminated by illicit drugs.
We are involved in the mankind - we cannot do less.
Thank you for your involvement and commitment to solving the major drug problem which is part and parcel of the life in all of our countries. May you all have a safe trip home.
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