Report on the Drug Situation 2008

This report gives an overview of current developments. Every year specific issues are also highlighted; for this report, the theme of sentencing statistics was selected.

Report on the Drug Situation 2008

In the reporting period, the Narcotic Substances Act (SMG) was amended. The amendment to the SMG of 2007 primarily includes changes concerning the penal provisions, which fall within the remit of the Ministry of Justice, and entered into force simultaneously with the amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure on 1 January 2008. The importance of alternatives to punishment and the model of therapy instead of punishment was reinforced as they were further expanded and more firmly established (mandatory instead of optional regulations).

An analysis of prevalence estimates in Austria since the year 2001 indicates a strong rise in problem drug use until 2004, followed by stable or slightly declining trends until now. This development is very pronounced in the younger age groups. According to updated prevalence estimates, in 2007 between approximately 22 000 and 33 000 people in Austria showed patterns of problem drug use, primarily in the form of poly-drug use with opioids.

Another indicator of a stabilisation or decline of problem drug use is that in 2007 the number of drug-related deaths has gone down for the first time (2006: 197; 2007: 175) and that the rise observed until 2006 has stopped. In 2007 the average age of people who died because of drug use has again gone up for the first time after a continuous downwards trend until 2006. This also suggests that recently, smaller numbers of (young) people have started to use drugs to a problematic extent. As the number of drug-related deaths is small from a statistical point of view, it will be possible in a few years from now only to confirm whether there actually is a declining trend.

In the treatment sector, opioids predominate as problem drugs (primary drugs), while cocaine only plays an insignificant role. A considerable share of heroin users indicate snorting as their main form of use. This share declines with rising age of clients, who more often name injecting use as their preferred way of application. Further analyses show that a considerable share of people using heroin as their primary drug successfully avoid the development to injecting drug use over several years. In this regard, harm reduction measures would be very important in order to prevent users from turning to intravenous application, which is much more risky.

The Narcotic Substances Act (SMG), which was adopted in 1998 and amended in 2007, forms the central framework of Austria's drug policy. This Act primarily distinguishes between quantities and not types of drug, and permits a wide range of alternatives to punishment of violations. Both the number of offences reported relating to the SMG and the number of convictions as well as alternatives to punishment showed a strong rise until 2005 and have gone down since then. However, the share of convictions has again slightly grown from 2006 to 2007, different to the development regarding alternatives to punishment. 67 % of all convictions (2006: 66%) led to prison sentences, and the share in all prison sentences of sentences suspended on probation was 47% (in 2006: 44%), which is a further slight increase compared to previous years. The share of young people sentenced to imprisonment was 3.4%.

National reports on the drug situation in Austria are drawn up annually for the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the Federal Ministry responsible for health affairs. This report gives an overview of current developments regarding the political and legal framework, the epidemiological situation and demand reduction interventions in the reporting period 2007/8. Every year specific issues are also highlighted; for this report, the theme of sentencing statistics was selected. This report is essential as a basis of the EMCDDA's Annual report on the state of the drug problem in the European Union.

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Client: Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, Familie und Jugend

Editor: Gesundheit Österreich GmbH / Geschäftsbereich ÖBIG

Place of publication: Vienna

Year of publication: 2008

ISBN: 978-3-85159-115-6

Number of pages: 143 Pages, 41 Tables, 23 Figures, 3 Maps

Reimbursement of expenses: € 12,00

Available in German and English