“Czech anti-drug policy has enjoyed extraordinary respect at home and abroad for many years. Why? It’s very simple and I can sum it up succinctly in a single sentence: ‘A lot of music for little money,'” wrote Bém Novinkám in his comprehensive statement, which he sent from his holiday abroad.
He emphasized that the Czech Republic is a model in the whole of post-communist Europe in its approach to the problem and is one of the first countries to include legal psychotropic substances such as alcohol, tobacco and gambling in its anti-drug strategy.
“Our expert-substantive and strategic work has 35 years of life behind it. Functional systems of public policies do not change in a reasonably functioning society,” Bém continued.
According to him, the agenda of psychoactive substances and addiction disorders is not only a health problem, but also a social, educational, security and economic one.
“Moving drug policy from the Government Office to the Ministry of Health is not a smart idea. Health cannot manage the security agenda and law enforcement of the Ministry of the Interior, just as it cannot manage the fiscal impacts of regulation or non-regulation of gambling, alcohol or tobacco, which belongs to Alena Schillerová’s competence,” Bém added.
We will be for the donkeys
“What can happen if the Prime Minister and the government do not reverse their decision? Most likely, the system built up over decades will collapse. The result may be the fentanyl crisis, epidemics of new synthetic drugs, an increase in fatalities and overall morbidity in target groups addicted to various substances or products,” Bém fears.
“A well-functioning system of addiction services can fall apart, even if it is underfunded for a long time. Abroad, they will shake their heads at us and consider us donkeys,” he added.
According to the coordinator, moving under one ministry means a de facto weakening of the state’s ability to coordinate individual departments. Professionally managed policy thus becomes a narrow departmental agenda without the necessary authority and overlap. “Exactly the independent position at the Office of the Government was one of the reasons why the Czech model worked for a long time and gained respect at home and abroad,” Bém added.
He emphasized that he is not interested in the position or the authorities. “It’s about preserving a system that has proven to help reduce harm, protect public health and maintain a reasonable balance between prevention, treatment and safety. Dismantling a working model without professional debate is a step whose consequences can be expensive and, unfortunately, long-term,” he noted.
Currently, Bém’s department is finalizing the updated strategy of the Action Plan for the next three years. “Therefore, we have a lot of work ahead of us, and for that we need a clear systemic anchoring, and not confusion and uncertainty in the spirit of ‘box, get out.’ I rely on the action and common sense of the Prime Minister,” he added.
They understand Tünde Bartha, says Bém
However, he also understands the head of the Office of the Government, Tünde Bartha, who, according to him, is behind the decision to move the agenda from the Office of the Government. Therefore, he offers her a solution.
