National Strategy 2019-2027

The National Strategy to Prevent and Reduce the Harm Associated with Addictive Behaviour 2019-2027 (hereinafter also referred to as "the National Addiction Strategy" or the "2019-2027 National Strategy") is the key policy document of the Government of the Czech Republic which articulates its intentions and specific activities involving the implementation of measures aimed at preventing and reducing the harm related to substance use, pathological gambling, and the uncontrolled use of modern technologies among the Czech population.

The addictive behaviour policy is defined as a comprehensive and coordinated set of preventive, educational, therapeutic, social, regulatory, and control and law enforcement measures adopted on the international, national, regional, and local levels. Its purpose is to pursue a coordinated and evidence-based approach to preventing negative consequences of addictive behaviour and reducing the harm (health, social, economic, and immaterial) caused by addictive behaviour to both individuals and society as a whole, including its negative effects on public budgets. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to enhance the well-being of the population of the Czech Republic.

The 2019-2027 National Strategy includes a set of measures aimed at achieving the objectives elaborated in the relevant action plans.

The 2019-2027 National Strategy builds upon the previous strategy for the period 2010-2018, which was updated twice while it was in operation in response to the call for the integration of illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and gambling into a single policy. The National Drug Policy Strategy for the Period 2010-2018 (the 2010-2018 National Strategy) set four strategic objectives:

• to reduce the level of experimental and occasional substance use, particularly among young people, and reduce the level of gambling among children and adolescents;
• to reduce the level of problem and heavy substance use and problem gambling among the population;
• to reduce the harm associated with substance use and problem gambling caused to individuals and the community; and
• to reduce the availability of addictive substances, particularly to young people, and to scale up the legal regulation of gambling.

More information on the national strategies and action plans are published on the website of the Government Council for Addiction Policy Coordination (Czech only).