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This paper begins with an outline of the current German drug control system. Drug use and drug control are viewed theoretically as complementary components of a complex social and historical process that integrates sociology, the sociology of law, political science, and social psychology The German drug control system is viewed as a byproduct of these different disciplines. Within this context, the evolution of pertinent drug laws and their implementation are discussed. Recent developments are viewed as taking place in a series of stages based on three paradigms: (1) criminalization, (2) medicalization, and (3) acceptance. Over time there seems to have been a slow transition from the first to the last of these paradigms, implying that elements of all three approaches have been integrated into various policies and strategies that differ between states and regions of Germany, as well as between different levels of drug policy and drug care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the trends in the drug policies in Central and Western Europe. The policy differences between the United States and Europe are not due to drug policy initiatives. The United States has in a way influenced the drug policies in Europe because it plays a significant role in the formation and management of international drug policy. The United Nations (UN) has done its part in the creation of drug policies with the legislation of agreements. One legislation made by the UN is the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

Drug use and drug control are theoretically — in terms of both social psychology and sociology — viewed as complementary components of a complex social and historical interaction process. Subsequently historical and other evidence is presented to substantiate the theoretical hypotheses. This lays the ground for the presentation and interpretation of the actual drug control system in Germany and the European Union. Again some theoretical hypotheses and their empirical grounding are presented concerning the logic of development trends. In the final part, the evolution of drug laws end their implementation are viewed. Recent developments can be regarded as taking place in stages based on certain changeable paradigms: the abstinence paradigm, the medicalization paradigm and the acceptance paradigm. For the time being there seems to be a slow transition from the first to the latter, implying that elements of all three are presently active in a diversity of policies and strategies, differing between states and regions of the German federal state and the European Union as well as between different levels of drug policy and drug care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]