Drug-related violence hub page

Drug-related violence manifests itself in various and increasingly complex forms, often fuelled by organised crime that operates in and exploits fragile social environments, affecting communities at multiple levels and perpetuating cycles of harm. 

The European Union (EU) is now at a critical juncture in addressing the escalating threat this poses. Recognising this, the EU Drugs Strategy 2021–2025 and the EU Roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime, emphasise the need for strong and early preventative measures that tackle the root causes of organised crime. While a number of tools and strategies exist at EU level, the increasing complexity of violence within drug markets still presents significant challenges. These include multi-sector and multi-level coordination and the need for robust, timely and comparable data and indicators for designing effective responses and evidence-based policies.