International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, 26 June

The General Assembly decided in a resolution on 7th December 1987 to observe 26June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of international society free of drug abuse.

Supported each year by individuals, communities and various organizations all over the world, this global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society. Building on the success of last year, the theme for 2018 is: “Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe.” It is an initiative to increase support for prevention of drug use that is based on science and is thus an effective investment in the well-being of children and youth, their families and their communities.

The UN General Assembly held a Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs in April 2016. This Special Session marked an important milestone in achieving the goals set in the policy document of 2009 “Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem”, which defined action to be taken by Member States as well as goals to be achieved by 2019.

The outcome document recommends measures to address demand and supply reduction, and to improve access to controlled medicines while preventing diversion. The recommendations also cover the areas of human rights, youth, children, women and communities; emerging challenges, including new psychoactive substances; strengthening international cooperation; and alternative development. The text puts new emphasis on proportionate national sentencing policies and practices for drug-related offences, and features a strong focus on prevention and treatment.

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a key plank in the United Nations’ war on drugs. It is an International Day in Support of Victims of Torture;

Drug abuse is a patterned use of a substance (drug – usually cocaine, heroin or other such materials producing nasha or impulses on brain where one loses consciousness) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods neither approved nor advised by medical professionals. Substance abuse often includes problems with impulse control and impulsive behavior. There are many cases in which criminal or antisocial behavior occur when the person is under the influence of a drug. Substance abuse is prevalent with an estimated 120 million users of hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and other synthetic drugs.

These drugs are very costly and since these are prohibited world over their trafficking becomes difficult and as such become more costly. These are usually sold in the form of very fine powder which taken even in very small quantity causes impulses where one forgets what he or she is and indulges in anti social activities. Moreover it causes nausea which troubles one when its affect is over. It creates urge to have it more which one tries to get even by selling all what one has. It becomes very difficult to get out of its clutches as it produces cramps in body which are very painful and harmful. Doctors find it difficult to treat such people with medicines as the element of psychology enters in that domain. It is very difficult to get out of their clutches and come back to normal life.

Lave aside the powders there have made a variety of injections which the individuals can take at their own but one indulged in those habits becomes difficult to get out of those.

It is therefore very necessary to teach students as to what drugs are and how much harmful those are. The drug addicts not only lose their health but simultaneously drain out their wealth. There are many organizations who are working in this direction to ensure that these drugs are not used and where some people have fallen prey to those are helped to come out of those practices by drawing their attentions to other goods of life in order to bring them back to normal life.

Brig. K.G. Behl (Retd.)

President, All India Consumers Council,

Uttarakhand