European Drug Policy Initiative (EDPI)
The European Drug Policy Initiative promotes drug policy reform in Europe, targeting seven countries with very different attitudes and policies towards drug-related issues: Bulgaria, Hungary, Denmark, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. The idea is to assist long-term drug policy reform advocacy by reaching mainstream public opinion through media channels.
Drawing from U.S. campaigning experiences, EDPI will start NGO cooperation with the media to keep society updated and provide useful, articulated information. Having investigated the situation in exemplary European countries, EDPI will prepare an effective media campaign for 10 EU member countries.
The main advocacy work will involve making professional films to raise awareness at the upcoming UNGASS on drugs, creating databases with media contacts and then targeting journalists listed there, monitoring drug-related news in the media and finally organizing activities concentrated on UNGASS. To highlight negative practices in European drug policy, EDPI will use not only UNGASS 2009 but also the upcoming elections for the European Parliament in 2009.