Drug Policy as Policy with Foreigners: The Austrian Case in Times of European Integration

Abstract

Policy on illegal drugs has been from the beginning also policy on foreigners. But there are periods when the linkage becomes stronger and its profile more distinct. The integration of Europe seems to be a period stimulating a change in the character of the linkage because of the increase of “national uncertainty.” The Austrian case is the focus of this paper: it is investigated since the arrival of the “international drug wave.” The investigation is based on the analysis of the special police reports on drug offenses published since 1975, on interviews with other drug professionals, and on studies of immigration and attitudes toward immigrants. A main conclusion is that the intensification of the linkage reflects increasing major social conflicts.