The European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies (''ENCOD''), originally ''European NGO Council On Drugs and development'', is a network of European

non-governmental organisations A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

and citizens concerned with the impact of current international

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...

policies Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...

on the lives of the most affected sectors in Europe and the

Global South The concept of Global North and Global South (or North–South divide in a global context) is used to describe a grouping of countries along socio-economic and political characteristics. The Global South is a term often used to identify region ...

. Since 1994 they have been working to advocate more just and effective drugs control policies, which include an integrated solution for all problems related to the global drugs phenomenon.

History

ENCOD was set up in 1993 thanks to the support of the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...

, as an NGO counterpart to the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction. However, the Management Board of the

EMCDDA The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is an agency of the European Union located in Lisbon, Portugal, and established in 1993. In June 2022, the Council of the European Union approved a reform of the organization w ...

later decided to ignore any NGO involvement in the work of the

. In 1998
Manifesto for just and effective drug policies
was redacted by 14 NGOs from Europe, Africa and South America, then signed by hundreds of organizations, companies, political parties, and citizens. ENCOD is a self-financed and independent network, legally based in Belgium, and is steered by a Committee composed citizens from different EU countries (5 people after the 2013 General assembly).

Mission

The organization declares three primary objectives: * To improve understanding of the causes and effects of the drugs trade, * To contribute to the elaboration of just and effective drugs control policies, * To bring about greater consistency between drugs control efforts and economic and social policies. ENCOD is implementing these objectives in three ways: * it facilitates coordination, information exchange and joint analysis between its members, * it carries out joint information campaigns, aimed at the general public, * it carries out joint advocacy activities, aimed at policy-makers and the media.

Activities

Advising and organizational activities

* In 1998, publication of the Manifesto for just and effective drug policies * Annual participation in the round table organized by the

Commission on narcotic drugs The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is one of the functional commissions of the United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and is the central drug policy-making body within the United Nations System. The CND also has important man ...

(CND) * In 2006 ENCOD organised with the support of

the Greens–European free alliance ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

and European united left a meeting in the

European parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

* From 7 to 9 March 2008 ENCOD co-organised an international meeting in Vienna for a European alternative in drug policies called ''Drug Peace Days'' * In the early 2000s, setup of the

Cannabis Social Club A Cannabis Social Club (CSC), sometimes called Cannabis Club, Cannabis Association, or Teapad, is an industry model for regulated cannabis organised as non-profit cooperatives in which cannabis is cultivated, shared, and enjoyed collectively, usu ...

concept and rules * Advise and counselling about drug policies possible changes. * In March 2014, participation in the annual meeting of the

(CND). Set up of an alternative press center during the meeting.

Public campaigns

* In 2003, 'Spread the Seeds' campaign * Series of Conferences at the

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC; French: ''Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime'') is a United Nations office that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the ...

: "Vienna 2003: a Chance for the World" (March 2003), "The Road to Vienna" (November 2006),. * In 2009, conference "Coca 2009, from persecution to proposal" on the possibilities of a European approach towards the

coca leaf Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. The plant is grown as a cash crop in the Argentine Northwest, Bolivia, Al ...

, at the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

. * In 2011, publication of the ''Code of conduct for a European

'', the basic structural rules of non-prifot and transparency, that were used by many Cannabis social clubs in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

etc. * In 2013 and 2014, European campaign for the elections to European Parliament "Manifesto for safe and healthy drug policies in Europe".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Encod International organisations based in Belgium Drug policy organizations Drug policy reform Medicinal use of cannabis European medical and health organizations 1994 in cannabis Cannabis in Belgium