Drug Policy Harmonization and the European Union

The issue of illegal drugs is one which impacts on all societies and one which does not respect national borders. It is, therefore, an ideal candidate for the development of an international policy response. The powerhouses of the European Union have expressed a desire to move towards an 'ever closer union' encompassing wider areas and deeper levels of policy, yet illegal drug policy has remained firmly in the control of the heads of member states. This book seeks to understand why it has been so difficult to harmonise in this area and explores both the desirability and the viability of a 'European drug policy'. Finally, it applies the popular European integration theory of multi-level governance to the issue of illicit drugs and suggests that, if harmonization of European drug policy were to develop along these lines, it would be both desirable and viable.