Episode description:

Changing the Narrative: From Recovery to Prevention and the Power of the Oviedo Declaration – A Conversation with Oriol Esculies | UHP S4E5

In this compelling episode of The Unnecessary Harm Podcast, Shane Varcoe sits down with Oriol Esculies Plou to discuss one of the most significant developments in global drug policy: the Declaration of Oviedo. This landmark civil society initiative has been endorsed by over 3,230 organisations across 163 countries, representing a unified global voice demanding that prevention be prioritised over harm management. The declaration calls for evidence-based strategies, universal coverage for all children, and at least 25% of drug policy budgets dedicated to prevention by 2030. As one of the key architects of this movement, Oriol has presented the Oviedo Declaration at the United Nations, the European Union, and the Vatican, making it a critical tool for policymakers and advocates worldwide.

Oriol brings 28 years of experience from the front lines of addiction treatment as international commissioner for Proyecto Hombre, one of Spain’s largest organisations for drug prevention, treatment and recovery. Operating across Spain with over 200 services, 1,300 staff and 2,500 volunteers, Proyecto Hombre demonstrates what works when organisations embrace the full continuum of care. Oriol explains how they’ve shifted from primarily focusing on recovery to now dedicating one-third of their work to prevention, recognising that acting earlier is the most wise approach.

The conversation challenges the dangerous propaganda that drug experimentation is normal or inevitable. Shane and Oriol discuss Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, establishing children’s right to be protected from drugs, and how certain groups have hijacked the human rights narrative. As Oriol powerfully concludes, “the more we are, the stronger the voice”

By joining forces through the Oviedo Declaration, we can change the narrative and build the protective fences our children deserve.

Visit oviedodeclaration.org to sign on and join this global movement. Available in over 50 languages.