Main Debates and Focus Areas

Social Inequalities: A major focus is reducing health disparities among children from low-income families and those with minority backgrounds. 

Mental Health of Young People: Rising mental distress has led to intense debate over making services more accessible and improving cross-sectoral collaboration.

Youth Participation: Increased focus on strengthening youth participation in democratic processes and policy-making, including the use of youth panels.

Amendments to the Criminal Code and the Pharmaceuticals Act, etc. (dealing with small quantities of drugs for personal use)

Drug Abuse and Prevention: Debates focus on both preventive efforts in schools and how to effectively manage substance use among teenagers. 

Storting Bill 112 L (2024–2025)  Amendments to the Criminal Code and the Pharmaceuticals Act, etc. (dealing with small quantities of drugs for personal use).
(Prop. 112 L (2024–2025) Endringer i straffeloven og legemiddelloven mv. (befatning med mindre mengder narkotika til egen bruk).

Ministry of Justice and Public Security proposes to consolidate the criminal law regulation of dealing with small quantities of drugs for personal use into a new criminal provision in the Pharmaceuticals Act. Furthermore, it is proposed to legislate a special sanction scheme for persons over 18 years of age with extensive and serious drug problems and a new provision on drug testing and examination of signs and symptoms of drug influence. In addition, it is proposed to allow up to three visits to advisory units for drug cases during a period of up to three months and to authorise the police to refer persons to the unit outside of criminal proceedings. The bill constitutes Part II of the government's prevention and treatment reform for the drug field. The purpose of the proposals is to ensure that persons with extensive and serious drug problems will normally be met with help and treatment instead of criminal sanctions. The proposals should also clarify that possession of smaller quantities of drugs for personal use is still a criminal offense and can be enforced by the authorities, while enforcement and the use of coercive measures should be proportionate.

In 2018 the Solberg Government initiated a drug reform process with the goal of transferring responsibility for responses to the use and possession of illegal drugs for personal use from the justice sector to the health sector. A committee was set up  to prepare for the implementation of the reform and handed over an Official Norwegian Report on Drug reform [NOU 2019: 26 Rusreform – fra straff til hjelp] to the Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security on 19. December 2019. On 19. February 2021 the Government submitted a proposal to the Parliament for an amendment to the penal code largely based on the committee's proposals. Use and possession of illicit drugs would continue to be illegal, but such use and possiession of smaller quantities for personal use would no longer be punishable. This would apply to purchase, use, possession and storage of smaller quantities of illicit drugs for personal use. However, Norway's then main opposition Labour Party rejected the plan. Although the Labour Party is in principal in favour of removing penalties for heavy drug users, it is against decriminalising drug use for the wider population.

The current Government led by Jonas Gahr Støre of the Labour Party in coalition with the Centre Party has initiated work on a new prevention and treatment reform. The aim will be to prevent and reduce the negative consequences of drug use, both for the individual and for society. This will involve a national program for drug prevention work among children and young people, supporting municipalities to employ outreach methods to get in contact with particularly at-risk youth. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has published a draft program for drug prevention work for children and young people. The Government will review criminal measures targeting the use and possession of drugs for personal use by people with extensive substance abuse problems.