Introduction to the Special Issue

In this introduction to a special issue on Czech Drug Policy Developments in Post-Communist Period, the editors identify significant events in Czechoslovakian drug use history under both pre-& post communist regimes. In 1998, the government commissioned an evaluation known as the PAD, to investigate the impact of new drug legislation. The investigators concluded the new legislation had little effect, other than to cause a shift to more risky patterns of drug use. "Europeanization" of the Czech drug policy in the institutionalization of the Focal Point monitoring body is reflected in the subsequent papers of this issue that utilize data collected at least partially under the Focal Point initiatives. The drug-related concerns elucidated in this series of papers are inclusive of the emergence of drug policy during the 1990s, drug legislation in the nation from 1852 to 2005, the changing patterns of drug use,& mortality statistics of drug use among adolescents & regional comparisons. The final retrospective account concludes that changes observed are healthy signs that a vibrant Czech drug policy debate will continue & future policy efforts will be more closely tied to empirical research. References. J. Harwell