this involves allowing the state to organize and control the drug market.

On the other hand, the association wishes to encourage the implementation of

programmes for reducing the harmful consequences of drug use.

The prohibition of drugs usually leads to forms of prohibition of medical

treatment for drug addicts. This state of affairs poses a threat to public

health; it is dangerous and inhumane and only serves to exacerbate the

individual suffering of drug addicts. The congress organized by the CORA in

Brussels on 5 and 6 December 1996 set itself the goal of stopping such

prohibition of treatment. The appeal set out below and signed by European

citizens, will be submitted to the European Parliament , which will be

requested to examine it.

PETITION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

We, the undersigned, European citizens concerned for public health, doctors,

professionals in the field of drug addiction and other areas of public

health, believe that therapeutic freedom, the right of each individual to

choose their own doctor, the freedom of movement and consumer protection in

Europe are such fundamental principles and rights that they require solemn

reasserting.

Too often the medical principle of therapeutic freedom is disregarded in the

treatment of drug addicts. Many laws or regulations prevent doctors from

treating drug addicts outside specialist centres when in fact such a

restriction can not be justified medically. Other restrictions concern the

choice of treatment (methadone, buprenorphine, heroin, ...): substances

which have already proved effective and whose prescription has saved many

human lives are still too often the subject of prohibition for reasons

unrelated to any medical consideration. Furthermore, resorting to the

imprisonment of drug addicts simply because they are dependent on prohibited

substances denies them any future possibility of receiving effective treatment.

The direct consequence of such restrictions is the impossibility for drug

addicts to benefit from appropriate treatment. In fact, restrictions

actually marginalize them even further, driving them deeper underground, and

their state of health degenerates as a result.

At the same time, it is clear that these same restrictions to therapeutic

freedom are also an obstacle to freedom of movement within the European

Union. Indeed, how can someone undergoing methadone treatment in a

particular region consider travelling to, even settling in, a region of

Europe where such treatment is not authorized?

Moreover, freedom of movement of goods and services requires the

reinforcement at European level of consumer protection in the health sector too.

These observations impel us to launch an official appeal to the European

Union and its member states so that therapeutic freedom may become a fully

recognised principle. This implies the right of a doctor to prescribe any

substance of medicinal value which he considers to be the most appropriate

for a given treatment. This also implies the right of an individual not to

risk imprisonment merely because they are a consumer of illicit drugs. To

this end, we address the European Parliament so that it may request the

European Commission to take all necessary initiatives in order to guarantee

the freedom of movement of persons undergoing treatment for drug addiction.

These initiatives should guarantee therapeutic freedom at European level

including that related to the treatment of heroin addiction.

First Name

Name

Signature

Occupation

Institution / organisation (optional)

Private address

Tel:............... Fax:..........E-mail:

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CORA, BP 35, F-93201 St Denis Cedex, France. Tel: +33 (01) 48092054 Fax:

+33 (01) 48092015

CORA, REM 5.08, 97 rue Belliard, B-1047 Brussels. Tel: +32 (02) 5116076

Fax: +32 (02) 2303670 E-mail: cora.belgique@agora.stm.it