SAN MARINO – The Republic of San Marino participated on 23 October in the high-level international meeting of the European Coalition Against Drugs (ECAD), hosted by the Community of San Patrignano and jointly promoted by Italy and France. Representing the country was the Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Massimo Andrea Ugolini.
The meeting, opened by the President of the Italian Council of Ministers Giorgia Meloni, brought together 35 international delegations from countries, European institutions and international bodies. At the center of the discussion are strategies to combat drugs and addictions, with particular attention to prevention, health protection, treatment paths and social reintegration.
In his speech, Massimo Andrea Ugolini indicated three priorities for San Marino action: strengthening prevention, especially among young people and vulnerable people; guarantee continuous paths of care, rehabilitation and reintegration, also involving families; consolidate international cooperation to address the evolution of consumption, the spread of new substances and the activities of criminal networks.
“Alongside the fight against supply and criminal networks, we must maintain high attention on prevention, treatment and recovery of people. No strategy can be considered complete if it does not offer those facing an addiction the concrete possibility of regaining autonomy, relationships and a life plan”, declared the Secretary of State.
Massimo Andrea Ugolini also underlined the need to integrate health policies with the fight against illicit trafficking: “The protection of health and the fight against illicit trafficking are not alternative objectives, but components of the same public responsibility”. To address the phenomenon, he added, adequate services, support for families, continuity of care and concrete opportunities for reintegration are needed, together with a greater international exchange of information and good practices.
San Marino’s participation is part of the path started with its membership of the ECAD and gives continuity to the commitments shared in the previous meetings in Copenhagen and Yerevan. San Marino also brought to the table the experience gained in prevention activities carried out in collaboration with the Community of San Patrignano, with particular attention to early interventions and raising awareness of the risks of addiction.
The choice of San Patrignano as the venue for the meeting recalls the role of the community, founded in 1978, in the paths of recovery and social reintegration. The proposed model places the person, their dignity and the possibility of reconstructing a life project at the centre.
During the day, the delegations were also involved in defining the San Patrignano – Rimini Declaration, a final document aimed at consolidating common commitments and identifying new areas of cooperation. Among the topics addressed are the fight against illicit drug trafficking and financial flows of criminal origin, as well as the strengthening of prevention, treatment and recovery policies.
By participating in the meeting, San Marino confirms its commitment to European cooperation against drugs, promoting an approach that combines the fight against illicit trafficking with the protection of health and support for recovery and social reintegration paths.
