The availability of illicit drugs is a concern for all. Norway uses both a supply and a drug demand reduction approach in its response.

The cannabis problem seems to have grown in the shadow of heroin and ATS. We have all the evidence of harmful effects of cannabis use and we need to address this problem.

Giving drug users the right to health does not mean we want to legalise drugs. Ensuring availaility of a range of harm reduction strategies is important alongside with treatment options.

Norway supports the inclusion of harm reduction in UNODC’s work.

In addressing HIV/AIDS, Norway stresses the importance of a rights-based approach, the involvement of people living with HIV, reaching vulnerable groups such as sex workers and injecting drug users and the scale up of services.