Drug Observatory ready before 2006

THE Ministry for Health and Consumer Affairs is finalising the creation of the Balearic Observatory for Drug Dependency and other Addictions, which will be responsible for coordinating the promotion and compiling of studies and research into this theme. The creation of this Observatory has been planned by the Balearic Government and is included in the Drug Dependency Law, which came into force on 10 July (article 41). In fact, as explained by the regional drug coordinator, Bartomeu Jaume, there is already what “we could call the first cementing of this future observatory within the Coordination Centre for Drug Dependency and Addictions in the Ministry for Health and Consumer Affairs”. However, at the moment it is only a single department which collects documentary information concerning drugs and addictions on the islands.
The aim of the Ministry for Health and Consumer Affairs, is to have this Balearic Observatory for Drug Dependency and other Addictions, ready to start working before the end of this year. The Ministry is currently drawing up all the necessary plans and procedures to create the Observatory.
The Balearic Observatory will be located within the Ministry for Health building.
The Balearic government is taking a tougher stance on drugs, following the death of an Irish tourist in Ibiza earlier this month. He is alleged to have died after taking liquid ecstasy. Inspections at clubs have been increased and police have been carrying out more raids in an effort to cut down on trafficking.