UNDP IN ARMENIA MARKED INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING
armradio.am
26.06.2009 13:26
On 25-26 June 2009 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
in Armenia organized a national workshop in Tsahkadzor on drug related
legislation for lawyers and legal experts representing all drug related
institutions of Armenia. During the two-day event the participants
exchanged views aimed at improving drug related legislation in Armenia
to conform to the international best practices.
Within the framework of the workshop, the International Day Against
Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was marked on 26 June. This year the
theme is "Do drugs control your life? Your life. Your community. No
place for drugs." The goal of the campaign is to mobilize support
and to inspire people to act against drug abuse and trafficking. The
campaign encourages young people to put their health first and not
to take drugs.
According to 2008 World Drug Report data, nearly 200 million people
are using illicit drugs worldwide. Cannabis (marihuana, hashish)
leads by far with 162 million users. An estimated 16 million people
use opiates, including heroin and some 13 million people use cocaine.
Based on 2005 WHO estimates, the number of Intravenous Drug Users in
Armenia varies from 7000 to 11000 people. According to the official
data from the police, 1084 cases of drug related crimes and 6 cases
of drug20related administrative offences had been reported in 2007,
whereas in 2004 this number was 411. The number of patients admitted
for treatment in Armenia has increased sharply over the last 6 years
from 7 in 2002 to 466 in 2008.
"Despite the major efforts of Armenian authorities and international
organizations, drug abuse still remains a serious problem. It is
alarming that the majority of the victims of drug abuse are young
people, being not able to handle social pressures like peer influence,
unemployment and poverty," said Mr. Dirk Boberg, UNDP Deputy Resident
Representative.
The United Nations has played a central role the fight against
drugs. Since 2001 UNDP in Armenia implements the EU funded South
Caucasus Anti Drug programme (SCAD) with an overall objective of
its fifth phase to reinforce EU good practices in the field of drug
policies.
Within the framework of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking, SCAD-V programme in Armenia, in close cooperation
with the Government of Armenia, has carried out a series of awareness
raising projects. In particular, parents from 5 schools were trained
on primary drug prevention issues to exchange their knowledge
with other parents from those schools. PSAs on drug prevention,
targeting parents and youngsters, are being broadcasted throughout
the country. Two types of leaflets for parents and youth are being
disseminated through the "Star" supermarket chain. 1000 copies of a
parents’ guidebook "Your kids and drugs; what you can do as a parent"
was developed and published to be distributed among the parents of at
risk youth. Finally, a healthy lifestyle poster devoted to 26 June
was developed and published in 3000 copies to be distributed in all
Armenian schools.