ABSTRACT
Discussions about drug policies in the European Union (EU) Member States frequently point at the differences between EU Member States. The view on harm reduction still seems to be the main divide in the EU drug policy debate. This chapter focuses on identifying and better understanding the key forces and factors behind this convergence. Although convergence of drug policy appears to be an overarching trend that can be observed all over the EU, the process and outcomes differ substantially between policy fields and between countries. One commonality of the three trends covered by studies is that they started in a few countries as criticism of the inappropriateness of existing control policies. The wider acceptance of harm reduction is one example of convergence of policies. The decriminalisation of drug use and exploring the feasibility of regulation, developed in a comparable way.
