On 2nd October I was back at the offices of the EMCDDA (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction), seeking the views of an experienced senior policy analyst, Danilo Ballotta.
An analyst of international policy on drugs, Mr Ballotta has previously worked at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and at the 'Task Force Justice and Home Affairs' of the European Commission. Since 1997 he has worked for the EMCDDA on national and European laws, policies and anti-drug coordination systems.
Since 2005 Mr Ballotta has been the coordinator for relations with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union.
He is the EMCDDA's Permanent Correspondent at the Council of Europe's Co-operation Group on Drugs. He represents the EMCDDA at the horizontal working party of drugs (HDG).
Talking to him has helped me situate the Portuguese drugs laws and strategy within the broader European and international contexts. We also discussed the considerations, dilemmas and socio-cultural specificities which are part of the web of influences that shape political decisions and policy formation.
An analyst of international policy on drugs, Mr Ballotta has previously worked at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and at the 'Task Force Justice and Home Affairs' of the European Commission. Since 1997 he has worked for the EMCDDA on national and European laws, policies and anti-drug coordination systems.
Since 2005 Mr Ballotta has been the coordinator for relations with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union.
He is the EMCDDA's Permanent Correspondent at the Council of Europe's Co-operation Group on Drugs. He represents the EMCDDA at the horizontal working party of drugs (HDG).
Talking to him has helped me situate the Portuguese drugs laws and strategy within the broader European and international contexts. We also discussed the considerations, dilemmas and socio-cultural specificities which are part of the web of influences that shape political decisions and policy formation.