A historical review of the origins of the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs. A background that almost everyone seems to have forgotten

The article offers a valuable historical review of the origins of Spain’s National Drug Plan, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary. Comas recalls the little-known background that led to its creation, from the international pressure that prompted the signing of treaties on narcotics in the 1960s and 1970s, to the creation of an Interministerial Commission during the Franco regime, focused on control rather than social or health intervention. During the early years of democracy, and in the face of the growing drug crisis, especially the impact of heroin, a Special Senate Commission was established in 1984, which culminated in the drafting of the influential “Segovia Document” (1985). This text laid the foundations for the birth of the National Plan on Drugs, promoted by the Minister of Health, Ernest Lluch. The Plan was a model of political and technical consensus, bringing together professionals, regional and municipal administrations, and social entities. From 1985 onwards, it succeeded in structuring and professionalizing the care network throughout the country, promoting a coordinated, multidisciplinary, and sustained public response to drug addiction. The article vindicates the memory of this process as a lesson in effectiveness and collective commitment.