DECLARATION OF THE COUNCIL AND THE MINISTERS FOR HEALTH OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL of 15 May 1992 on European Drug Prevention Week (92/C 148/04)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THE MINISTERS FOR HEALTH OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

WHEREAS drug abuse gives rise to health problems and social problems worldwide and efforts to resolve such problems therefore require international cooperation, and particularly a special effort on the part of the Community,

REFERRING to the conclusions of the Heads of State and of Government on the importance of systematically and continually stepping up action by the Community and its Member States to combat drugs,

HAVING regard to the objectives and lines of action set out in the European plan to combat drugs, approved by the European Council in Rome on 14 and 15 December 1990, and in particular those aimed at reducing demand for drugs,

REFERRING to their conclusions of 3 December 1990 and 4 June 1991 on reducing demand for drugs,

CONSIDERING the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Maastricht, which supported the organization of a 'European Week' to promote the prevention of drug use in the context of the widest possible information on drug problems,

AFFIRM their shared resolve to increase efforts in the fight, at all levels, to reduce demand for drugs in Europe,

CONSIDER that such efforts should concentrate primarily on prevention and more particularly on information and health education for young people,

CONSIDER that the 'European Drug Prevention Week', to be held from 16 to 22 November 1992, should usher in closer, ongoing cooperation in order to increase awareness among the general public and above all young people,

APPEAL for the participation of the general public, particularly all those people and bodies more directly involved in the organization and promotion of that European Week, in order for such action to make a significant contribution to the prevention of drug addiction in Europe.