Drugs - Drugs Action Plan 2020-2024

The overall objective of the '2020–2024 National Addiction Strategy and Government Action Plan for illicitly acquired drugs and their corollaries' (National Illegal Drugs Action Plan) is to contribute to achieving a high level of protection in terms of public health, public safety and social cohesion. 

Within the context of the issue in question, this involves:

• providing objective and reliable information on psychoactive substances and the potential effects and consequences of using them,  
• preventing initiation into addictive behaviours,   
• guaranteeing diversified, high-quality care to people suffering with dependencies,   
• significantly reducing the prevalence of drug use and addiction within the general population,   
• and reducing the damage to health and social harm that the use of and trade in illegal drugs, and addictions in general, can cause.

The 2020-2024 national strategy, and the associated action plan, are based on the general framework for combatting drugs and addiction put forward by the 2018-2023 government programme.

The strategy has 2 pillars:

• reducing demand,
• reducing supply.

The 4 cross-functional priorities of the strategy are:

• reducing risks, harm and nuisances,
• information, research and evaluation,
• international cooperation,
• coordination mechanisms.

The preparation of the government action plan relating to drugs and associated addictions is multidimensional and relies on a participatory process. First of all, it is based on external evaluation of acquired knowledge and past experiences (Trimbos Instituut, 2019). The involvement of people and experts from various fields and disciplines is a second essential instrument.