The European Action on Drugs (EAD) is designed to provide European civil society with a platform to increase awareness and commitment as regards drugs and the risks related to drug abuse, and to promote dialogue and exchanges of best practice.

The European Action on Drugs works around a simple idea: since a huge number of people and organisations have a role to play in disseminating information and raising awareness about the risks of drugs abuse, particularly among young people, the European Commission is proposing that anyone who carries formal responsibility of some kind, has decision-making powers, or acts in an economic, social or representative capacity, should make a commitment on a specific action that he/she will undertake.

The European Action on Drugs will be based on the principle of 'shared responsibility', a responsibility shared by all members of society, i.e. ordinary people as well as 'professionals'

	KEY STATISTICS
	• One EU citizen dies every hour from a drug overdose.
	• Around 12 million people in the EU are taking, or have at some time taken, cocaine.
	• 7 000 to 8 000 drug-induced deaths occur in Europe every year.
	• There are 3 000 new cases of drug-related HIV every year in Europe.
	• Between 1.3 and 1.7 million people in the EU are problem opioid users.
	• More than one fifth (22 %) of European adults have used cannabis.