Inquiry Regarding the Spread of Narcotics (no 650)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2024-11-04 17:14
Total Speeches: 32
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 31m
AI Summaries: 32/32 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu addressed a request for information presented by members of the Riigikogu Andrei Korobeinik, Aleksandr Tšaplõgin, Vadim Belobrovtsev, Aleksei Jevgrafov and Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart regarding the spread of narcotics and overdose deaths in Estonia. Andrei Korobeinik, speaking on behalf of the requesters, emphasized that Estonia remains at the forefront of the world in terms of overdose deaths and the situation has not improved, especially among young people.
Health Minister Riina Sikkut acknowledged that the positive trend of recent years has reversed, mainly due to the arrival of strong synthetic opioids on the market. The Minister introduced the government’s measures, which focus on expanding harm reduction services beyond Harjumaa and Ida-Virumaa (including Paide, Rakvere, Tartu and a mobile bus). As a significant step, she mentioned the development of an early warning system in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and the improvement of the availability of naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote. Naloxone is now included in police patrol first aid kits, and the Ministry of Social Affairs is negotiating to make it an over-the-counter medication. Sikkut expressed firm opposition to the legalization of cannabis, citing studies that show an increase in mental health problems and the Estonian healthcare system’s inadequate preparedness to deal with resulting harms. During the debate, questions were raised about the connection between drug deaths and government action, the effectiveness of inter-ministerial cooperation, and the potential influence of politicians’ personal use on policy. The Minister confirmed that inter-ministerial cooperation is based on the white paper on narcotics policy, and personal habits have not influenced the formulation of policy.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Riigikogu will discuss the parliamentary inquiry submitted on September 18 concerning the spread of narcotics, and Andrei Korobeinik will be the presenter.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik said that Estonia is still at the forefront of overdose deaths, and this affects young people in particular, and he turned to the Minister of Health with questions about the policy conclusions and plans to reduce overdose deaths.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Speaker thanks and asks Health Minister Riina Sikkut to come to the Riigikogu rostrum to answer the interpellation.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut emphasized that although the number of overdoses in recent years has again increased due to synthetic opioids, the government plans to expand the availability of harm-reduction services across Estonia, increase the availability of naloxone, and establish an early warning system, together with increasing preventive work and implementing the evidence-based programs VALIK and SÜTIK, and cooperation with the border guard to curb the movement of dangerous drugs; the issue of cannabis legalization is treated as a point of dispute, since Estonia's health care system is not prepared for large-scale harms.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanks the minister and promises to ask questions, starting with his colleague Mart Helme's question.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme recalls how, during his tenure as interior minister, a major cannabis cultivation case was uncovered, a working group was formed with representatives from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs, and efforts were made to reduce drug addiction and relapses, highlighting the large cost to the state, and he asks whether similar cooperation remains in place today.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that the white paper on drug policy maps out the steps for the coming years in collaboration with the ministries, including an early warning system and improving the availability of naloxone, and that the Ministry of Justice is conducting a review of its punishment policy, the Ministry of the Interior will restrict access, and the Ministry of Social Affairs will implement prevention programs and evidence-based interventions to reduce drug cravings.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asks Rain Epler to take the floor.
Rain Epler
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Rain Epler notes that the number of drug-related deaths has significantly increased since 2021 and is currently more than three times higher than the 2020 level, and asks whether the downturn in several areas of life in Estonia is mainly related to the Reform Party government.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that the rise in drug-related deaths is mainly linked to new drugs that cannot be dosed properly and to potent narcotics, and the state is cooperating with the Ministry of the Interior and neighboring countries to curb their entry into the market and to raise public awareness.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair invites Kert Kingo to take the floor.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo criticizes that the ministry mainly deals with issues of permitting and banning flavored tobacco products and does not pay enough attention to the availability of drugs among young people and to informing about the harm they cause, and asks when the ministry will start dealing with this.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that nicotine addiction among young people is growing the fastest, and although drugs are illegal, the taste and availability of nicotine products are regulated by laws, with a focus on universal prevention and preventing drug use among young people.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invites Evelin Poolametsa onto the stage.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets recalls a case following the European Parliament elections, in which Ekspress journalists checked the spread of drugs at Tallinn parties using cocaine rapid tests, and asks how much the government’s decisions are influenced by coalition parties, which themselves are involved with drugs.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that the misconception that addiction is related only to a narrow target group is widespread, and that users of alcohol, tobacco and drugs appear in all areas of life and in all age groups, and prevention must be comprehensive, and she stated that drug policy is not influenced by personal use or by the coalition politicians' desire to legalize.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman asks Vladimir Arhipov to take the floor.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov expresses concern about the lack of coordination in the fight against drugs, the spread of drugs among young people, and films circulating on the internet that encourage drug use, and asks whether laws should be changed and what measures should be implemented to improve prevention and cooperation.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that the Ministry of Social Affairs is responsible for preventive activities, but it is necessary to fund and improve harm-reduction and addiction-counseling services across Estonia and their accessibility, and questions of punishment policy fall within the competence of the Ministry of Justice.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks that Helle-Moonika Helme be given the floor.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme claims that the youth drug problem is worsening, and that, in her view, the causes are the breakdown of the family, propaganda spreading sexual confusion among young people, and climate hysteria, and she emphasizes that prevention should begin with the restoration of normal family life and economic security.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut emphasized that young people should receive help already in the school environment: a school psychologist assesses the situation, directs toward self-help tools, and, if necessary, by intervening early, alleviates worry both at school and in the work environment, without waiting for a diagnosis or health care service.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asks Anti Poolametsa to take the floor.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets criticizes the cut in prevention funding, cites rising cocaine use in Rakvere, and calls for cooperation with the police and with schools, as well as concrete measures to address the problems, because the current inaction must not continue.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut said that the monitoring of drug use is adequate and that the data are used to reduce harm. In Rakvere there are already harm-reduction services and a center (pharmacy accessibility as well). A mobile bus can reach there, and an early warning system should be implemented. Naloxone is in the Rakvere police officers' first-aid kit, which enables rapid aid in the event of an overdose.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman turns to Lauri Laatsi and asks him.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats spoke before the Riigikogu, saying that the number of overdoses has steadily increased from 2020 to 2023 (117, 135, 138 and over 138), the number of ambulance calls and health problems has increased, and the figures for domestic violence have also risen, and he asked how to reduce the number of these deaths.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Health Minister Riina Sikkut said that the number of drug overdoses fluctuates over the years and has recently increased due to synthetic opioids, whose dosing is difficult and which can cause an overdose, and that together with prevention efforts must be intensified so that young people do not use, and when an overdose victim arrives, a life is saved by the police with a naloxone nasal spray until the ambulance arrives, and the Ministry of Social Affairs is considering making naloxone an over-the-counter medicine so that help would be available more quickly.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar asks Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvarti to come and perform.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart noted that Europol has highlighted the risks associated with cannabis legalization – the rise in use of other drugs and organized crime –, and asked how accessible cannabis is at the moment and what the ministry is doing to restrict it, and that easy accessibility for youth could later lead to the use of stronger drugs.
Terviseminister Riina Sikkut
AI Summary
Riina Sikkut notes that organized crime has grown following the legalization of cannabis, and this is an additional argument against legalization, and although drugs are detected and removed as a police task, it is likely that cannabis is grown in Estonia, synthetic opioids cause the majority of drug-related deaths, and they often reach across the border through organized networks, which are being tackled in cooperation with neighboring countries.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanks the minister, notes that there are no questions, then opens negotiations and closes both the negotiations and the consideration of the first agenda item.