Romania reorganizes its anti-drug agency, shifting focus to public health; experts urge comprehensive reform beyond structural changes.
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Marcel Ciolacu’s government is reorganizing the National Antidrug Agency (ANA), moving it from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to a system under the Prime Minister, which experts view as a positive step towards a 21st-century anti-drug approach focused on public health rather than punitive measures. Experts like Vlad Zaha caution that while this is progress toward a public health model, true success depends on future political direction and implementation of necessary regulations, such as drug harm reduction strategies and decriminalization of personal use. The reorganization does not solve underlying issues like the existing penal laws against consumers or the lack of comprehensive treatment centers. Internationally, Czechia has faced pressure to move its anti-drug policy under Health, though experts argue for an independent body, while Spain’s system suffers from poor coordination between regional health services and addiction treatment centers, prompting intervention by the Ombudsman due to serious patient health risks when using medications like methadone alongside tranquilizers.
