Institute of public health of the republic of slovenia

OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

(in alphabetical order and in enclosed in figure)

Tel.: 00 386 1 2441 400

2441 401

2441 479

Technical assistance: Vili Prodan

1. 
   Some of the data stated in this report has not been collected by the regular EMCDDA methodology, but they result from separate researches carried out by individual researchers.
   

2. For all data are responsible experts who contributed them to the Report.

Table of contents

PART 1

1. Developments in Drug Policy and Responses

1.1. Political framework in the drug field

Use and misuse of heroin, cannabis and other illegal drugs have been present in Slovenia since 1960s. Until 1990s it has been believed that illegal drug use is not a considerable problem in Slovenia. Becoming an independent country we have soon recognised drug problem as a topic of high priority. Rising HIV epidemic in some neighbouring countries among intravenous drug users has resulted in reconsideration of existing policies. In 1992 the National Programme was accepted in Parliament and the National Committee for the Implementation of National Programme for the Prevention of Drug Misuse was established.

The Coordination of Centres for the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addiction and the Supervising Committee were formed at the Ministry of Health to guarantee a good realization and supervision.

Drug Information System in Slovenia has been developing since 1991 in agreement with the Pompidou Group methodology and Phare DIS Programme. The National Public Health Institute has been the chief actor in drug data collection. Nevertheless, we had also done some activities before.

FTD data has been collected since 1991 in the Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addiction Koper and systematically since 1996 in all CPTDAs.
The decision was made at the ministerial level that the Ministry of Health would act as the Slovenian Focal Point, cooperating with the National Public Health Institute in connection with epidemiology in 1994.

Legal basis is now in the Act on prevention of drug consumption and treatment of drug addicts (Official gazette 98/99).

But out of nine gathered reported aids cases in Slovenia in 1999 there was only one with the history of possible intravenous drug use.

Several hundred intravenous drug users have been voluntarily and confidentially tested for HIV in recent years and only three have been found infected. However, the present low prevalence of the HIV infection among intravenous drug users may increase rapidly whenever and if HIV is introduced. Therefore HIV harm reduction interventions related to unsafe intravenous drug use and unsafe sexual behavior among drug users are considered a high priority within the National AIDS Prevention and Care Program.

That is why a network of fifteen regional centers for the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addictions has been established since 1995 and the professional staff working at the centers has received an additional training. These facts might also contribute to low HIV prevalence in this population, together with introduction of substitutive treatment a few years earlier.

Drug Demand Reduction

Drug Supply Reduction

Drug Information Systems

Control on Precursors

Licit Drug Control

Money Laundering Project

Synthetic Drug Project

Within the framework of the UNDCP we are participating in the Sub-regional Programme involving six projects. The countries that are taking part in it are Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary and Slovenia. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has verified and signed the Memorandum on Cooperation on these projects, although it has not yet approved the projects or participants. We have not yet received any training from the UNDCP nor have been offered any assistance in equipment.