In 2019, there were 1,396 prisoners being held in Slovenia, of which 151 were incarcerated for drug law offences [1]. Possession of an illicit drug is considered a minor offence under Article 33 of the Production and Trade in Illicit Drugs Act and is punishable by a fine and may receive a lesser punishment if they volunteer to enter drug treatment or a social care programme. Article 186 of the Criminal Code covers the sale and purchase of illicit drugs which is punishable with between 1 and 10 years in prison, or between 3 and 15 years if the offence involves defined aggravating circumstances, such as particular locations or the involvement of vulnerable people. Article 187 of the Criminal Code relates to offering illicit drugs for consumption which is punishable by prison sentences of between 6 months and 8 years. Amendment of the Criminal Code in 2011 has allowed for the involvement of illicit drugs within the framework of treatment under the supervision of public health authorities and, in principle, may permit the establishment of drug consumption rooms in Slovenia [2].

There is no data on HIV prevalence in prisons but antiretroviral therapy (ART) is available, as is opioid substitution therapy (OST) [3], with almost 60% of prisoners with problematic drug use receiving OST in 2017 [4]. However, needle/syringe programmes (NSP) are not present in any Slovenian prisons [5].

The Government of Slovenia spends €32,850 in support of each prisoner, per year, or €90 per day [6].

There were in the region of 4,900 people who inject drugs in the country as of 2019 [7], with an HIV prevalence in 2016 estimated at 1.3% nationwide [8]. There is no data available on the costs of NSP or OST. Unemployment benefit is paid at the rate of €1,590 per person and covers a period of 3 months but the rate is dependent upon the period of time for which insurance has been paid into the scheme [9].

Taking into account the lack of information as to the cost of NSP and OST in Slovenia, the cost to support one person who injects drugs in community settings is at least €1,590 per year, which is far less than the €32,850 spent by the Government to support such a person in prison each year. Consequently, if the Government of Slovenia decriminalised drug use and possession, it could save itself up to €31,260 per drug user, per year, and taking into account the number of people incarcerated for drug law offences, the total saving to the Government could be as high as €4.7 million per year.

[1]   Aebi MF, Tiago MM. SPACE I – 2019 – Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics: Prison populations. Strasbourg; Council of Europe, 2020. https://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2021/02/200405_FinalReport_SPACE_I_2019.pdf (accessed 4 August 2021).
[2]   European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Slovenia Country Drug Report 2019. Luxembourg; Publications Office of the European Union, 2019. https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/11352/slovenia-cdr-2019.pdf (accessed 10 August 2021).
[3]   Harm Reduction International (HRI). Global State of Harm Reduction 2020, Regional Overview 2.2 Eurasia. London; HRI, 2021. https://www.hri.global/files/2020/10/26/Global_State_HRI_2020_2_2_Eurasia_FA_WEB.pdf (accessed 3 August 2021).
[4]   EMCDDA, Ibid.
[5]   HRI, Ibid.
[6]   Aebi M F, Tiago MM. SPACE I – 2020 – Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics: Prison populations. Strasbourg; Council of Europe, 2021. https://wp.unil.ch/space/files/2021/04/210330_FinalReport_SPACE_I_2020.pdf (accessed 3 August 2021).
[7]    EMCDDA, Op.cit.
[8]   European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Slovenia Drug Report 2018. Luxembourg; Publications Office of the European Union, 2018. https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/system/files/publications/11319/slovenia-cdr-2018.pdf (accessed 10 August 2021).
[9]   Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS). Unemployment benefit. Ljubljana; ESS, undated. http://english.ess.gov.si/jobseekers/unemployment_benefits (accessed 10 August 2021).