Mission Statement

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Prevent use, reduce harm and facilitate recovery


ECADs vision is a society free from drugs. ECAD seeks to be a positive force for an ambitious drug policy. ECAD aims to reduce both drug availability and demand, as well as the societal and individual impacts of drug-related harm and addiction. Our main goals are to prevent use, improve addicts’ quality of life and decrease the number of deaths due to overdoses of non-medical drug use.

The work of ECAD rests firmly upon the spirit of the UN conventions on narcotic drugs which limit the use of narcotic drugs to solely medical and scientific purposes in ECAD’s member cities. ECAD aims to improve the health of the member cities inhabitants and seeks to promote evidence based and humane drug policies firmly rooted in empirical science. We believe societies can affect the scale of their drug problems by making concerted efforts towards prevention, treatment, recovery and control.

ECAD believes harm reduction is not in conflict with a drug free vision, or a drug free life for the individual. We are in favour of harm reduction to the extent that it does not normalize non-medical drug use. Drug use should primarily be addressed through health and social interventions as well as alternatives to incarceration. Drug addiction should be met with a variety of health and social measures, not punishment.

ECAD serves the interests of its member cities by offering knowledge and tools for them to constantly improve their actions and policies to prevent drug use, reduce harm and facilitate recovery.


(Amended by ECAD Executive Board and adopted by ECAD Plenary Session on June 13, 2017 in Kaunas)