International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2020

Observed on 26 June.

Theme: “Better Knowledge for Better Care”.

Why June 26^th?

The date June 26 is to commemorate Lin Zexu’s dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong, ending in June 25 1839, just before the First Opium War in China.

On this occasion, UNODC World Drug Report 2020 was also released.

Highlights:

• Around 269 million people used drugs worldwide in 2018, which is 30 per cent more than in 2009.
• Over 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders.
• Rising unemployment and reduced opportunities caused by the pandemic are also likely to disproportionately affect the poorest, making them more vulnerable to drug use and also to drug trafficking and cultivation in order to earn money.
• Most used substance in 2018: Cannabis. Cannabis also remains the main drug that brings people into contact with the criminal justice system.
• Most harmful: Opioids.
• Who use them? Adolescents and young adults account for the largest share of those using drugs, while young people are also the most vulnerable to the effects of drugs because they use the most and their brains are still developing.
• Low-income countries still suffer a critical shortage of pharmaceutical opioids for pain management and palliative care.

Indian Government has taken several policy and other initiatives to deal with drug trafficking problem:

• It constituted Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in November, 2016 and revived the scheme of “Financial Assistance to States for Narcotics Control”.
• In 2017, the government approved new Reward Guidelines with increased quantum of reward for interdiction or seizure of different illicit drugs.
• Narcotics Control Bureau has been provided funds for developing a new software i.e. Seizure Information Management System (SIMS)which will create a complete online database of drug offences and offenders.
• The government has constituted a fund called “National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse” to meet the expenditure incurred in connection with combating illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs; rehabilitating addicts, and educating public against drug abuse, etc.
• The government is also conducting National Drug Abuse Survey to measure trends of drug abuse in India through Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment with the help of National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of AIIMS.