ISLAMABAD: Drugs can waste years of a healthy life, cause illness and death, and propagate harm, exploitation, and violence.
“Those affected by drug use disorders are the victims, not the perpetrators of these problems,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Fathi Waly on Monday.
Globally, 296 million people used drugs in a year, while more than 39 million suffered from drug use disorders, the latest UNODC’s World Drug Report 2023 data revealed.
Walay said in a press statement, “On this International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, we call for drug responses rooted in empathy, built on science, and focused on people.”
The message said that the people who suffer from drug use disorders are blamed and stigmatized instead of receiving treatment and care. People who inject drugs are far more likely to catch HIV but face discrimination, barriers to treatment, and stigma.
People who are imprisoned for minor drug offenses rather than being given a pathway to recovery and rehabilitation. People are punished for resorting to the illicit cultivation of drugs out of desperation instead of being offered alternatives for a sustainable livelihood.
People continue to suffer pain because of the unequal availability of essential medicines containing controlled substances. People are denied dignity, opportunities, and their rights in life because they use or have used drugs.
“It is time to stigmatize the illicit drug market and not the people harmed,” Walay said.
She added, “We need humane responses that discard outdated attitudes and focus on the well-being and health of communities and people affected by drugs. We need focused law enforcement interventions to stop drug traffickers from feeding on misery as several drug types hit new production records and synthetic drug threats expand rapidly.”
“We need to invest heavily in awareness-raising, prevention, early interventions, and services to build the resilience of our communities. Today, we must stand together against the world drug problem and put people first,” Walay noted.
