Public health: Union strategy on drugs 2000-2004, prevention and reduction of risks of drug dependence

The Council established a general approach, pending the European Parliament's opinion, on a draft Council Recommendation on the prevention and reduction of risks associated with drug dependence. The Italian delegation was unable to endorse this general approach. The Recommendation will be adopted at a future Council session, once the Parliament has given its opinion. The German, Luxembourg and Netherlands delegations made a separate statement for the Council minutes on the use of public injection rooms in bringing chronically ill drug-users within the reach of health institutions and in initiating the process of rehabilitation.�