"L 'Assembly calls on the member states of the Council of Europe to:(…) to prohibit the online sale of psychoactive substances and alcohol to minors e children's access to online gambling and betting, as happens in the real world; prohibit any form of online advertising of these substances e of gambling and betting offers aimed at children; create online prevention campaigns suitable for children regarding online gambling and betting and excessive use of digital devices.”
That's what we read in resolution n. 2520 (2023) ofParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe entitled "Prevent addictive behaviors in children“, published in the Senate.
“The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 2520 (2023) “Preventing addictive behavior in children” and underlines the responsibility that lies with Member States to guarantee the right of children to enjoy the best possible state of health, including by adopting addiction prevention and treatment measures. The persistence or growth of this problem among children has demonstrated the long-term ineffectiveness of existing national policies and laws. Noting that socio-economic difficulties are a major source of stress for children and therefore a cause of drug use and other addictive behaviours, the Assembly recalls its work on poverty, in particular Recommendation 2234 ( 2002) “Eliminating extreme child poverty in Europe: an international obligation and a moral duty”. Regrets the inadequacy of the Committee of Ministers' response in this field and urges it to fully implement the recommendation so as to achieve, in Europe, the global objective of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goal 1.1 of the United Nations), thus helping to reduce one of the main causes of addictions in children. Welcomes the initial activities of the Council of Europe's International Cooperation Group on Drugs and Addiction (Pompidou Group), focusing on children and families affected by parental drug use, and the Lisbon Declaration of 13 and 14 December 2022, which it incorporated protecting the rights of people belonging to vulnerable groups and reducing the availability of illegal drugs, as well the prevention of addiction to the Internet and online gambling, in the priority activities of the Pompidou Group for 2023-2025. In this context, the Assembly invites the Committee of Ministers to ask the governing bodies of the Pompidou Group to: place emphasis on the prevention of drug use among minors, intensifying cooperation with other international organizations and civil society, building their recommendations based on validated studies and involving children in their activities. It notes the potential benefits of examining the use of cannabis, which is the most common drug used by children. A synthesis of the consequences of cannabis use on the physical and cognitive development of children could serve as the basis for a coordinated cannabis prevention policy at European level and for a best interests of the child approach to the recurring issue of legalization or decriminalization of possession or consumption of cannabis, in order to convey a clear message that will be understood by the entire population and in particular by minors; focus its work on behavioral addictions facilitated by online technologies and practices, placing emphasis on the study of addictive behaviors in children and related prevention measures, also proposing indicators that allow identifying this type of behavior, indicators that should also be made available in a format suitable for children, inter alia to allow them to carry out self-assessments; conduct studies on the prevalence of children's use of new psychoactive substances, often synthetic drugs, both legal and illegal, and propose appropriate prevention measures, aimed at children, parents and healthcare professionals. The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers task the intergovernmental sector of the Council of Europe with developing tools to raise awareness among children of the consequences of excessive or addictive use of digital tools and applications, including betting and gambling online, as part of the implementation of its Child Rights Strategy 2022-2027. The Assembly considers it appropriate to develop regional networks in Europe and beyond and to extend the work carried out under the Mediterranean School Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs (MedSPAD) project to all Member States of the Pompidou Group , thus making possible a broader investigation of country-specific characteristics of adolescent substance use and risk behaviors. Accordingly, recommends that the Committee of Ministers instruct the governing bodies of the Pompidou Group to establish a broader investigation procedure, covering all addictive behaviours, possibly by region, so as to enable States to promote the exchange of good practices based on common indicators concerning adolescents. This investigation should include younger child populations.”
That's what we read in recommendation n. 2262 (2023) ofParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe entitled "Prevent addictive behaviors in children“, published in the Senate.
