The Third Way

EURAD emphasizes a demand reduction strategy concentrating on the individual user. This can only be done by a combination of support to the individual and resistance to drug abuse.

The primary goal is to prevent individuals from using drugs but failing that to ensure early discovery and intervention.

EURAD considers the individual drug user to be the force of the entire drugs market, both as consumer and as one who spreads his habit to his friends.

To clarify The Third Way policy, the following example visualises the whole idea:

The drug abuse career can be described as a 'downhill-race'. After the debut, the drug abuser has a period where s/he experiences euphoric and well-being effects of the drug. S/he thinks drug taking is wonderful, sees no damage and looks upon her/himself as a moderate, occasional user. This stage is so pleasant that it is called 'The Honeymoon' of drug abuse. During this stage, the abuser is spreading her/his habit to her/his best friends. Not to hurt them, but to make them share what s/he thinks is the highlight of life. The introduction of friends into drug abuse usually takes place during the first 1-2 years of abuse.

Later in the drug abuse career, some ill effects start to show. This usually takes some time, and before that the abuser in many cases gets addicted to the drug. This means s/he has great difficulty in kicking the habit by her/his own will. S/he might realise what is happening, but is still unable to curb the drug slope.

Later in the career, the negative effects dominate. S/he now sees no 'fun' or 'excitement' in taking drugs. S/he is doing it merely "to keep her/his nose above the water-line". The outside world might also put pressure on the abuser, thereby supporting the abusers growing motivation to stop using drugs. Motivation usually occurs after many years of abuse, when the negative effects by far overrule the previous good effects. There is a saying the "abuser must hit the bottom before he wants to stop". EURAD finds it inhumane to passively wait for this motivation to occur.

Why the Third Way Policy?

The overall aim is to prevent drug abuse and support families with drug problems.

1. EURAD emphasises the role of parents and families at all stages of intervention: Thus utilising their valuable experience and concern.
2. If drugs debut is made, adults must know signs of early stage of abuse, thereby discovering and intervening as early as possible, to save the one in question.
3. If intervention occurs at an early stage of drug abuse, minor action is necessary. Home and community-based actions should link up with a clear message of no use of illegal drugs at any time of place.
4. If everybody gets a small but important task in fighting drugs, we can help each other! It is the ordinary people, supported by professionals, that will make the difference! Sport clubs, work places, schools, churches and homes must react to drug use.
5. EURAD advocates early intervention because we care abut the individual abuser, but also because we care about the friend s/he is spreading the habit to. We want to intervene BEFORE this spreading takes place. Rehabilitation programmes have little or no effect on the society as a whole: the spreading of abuse in the community takes place years before the addict goes into treatment. Treatment can be of priceless value to the individual, but should be considered as a last resort. Besides, rehabilitation programmes never can give any form of guarantee of success. In many cases, addiction is so strong that it beats even high-professional treatment.
6. Early intervention means we save the family and close friends of the addict. They always suffer badly when someone they love destroy themselves. Countless sleepless night, economic trouble, divorces, etc. can be saved if the drugs career is stopped early.
7. Early intervention also means that addiction never gets a chance to get a grip on the person. This is a very important argument. If intervention occurs before addiction has taken place, the whole procedure of stopping is just so much simpler.
8. Early intervention is cheap. The worse problem has been allowed to grow, the more expensive it is to solve. Treatment centres, prisons, hospitals cost tremendous amounts of money to run.
9. SUM-UP: EURAD THIRD WAY POLICY with early intervention is cheap, gives a role for everybody and is humane.

OK, BUT HOW....?

The Third Way in practice is based on two fundamental theories of SUPPORT and RESISTANCE.

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