World Day Against Drug Abuse 2021

The World Drug Day, dedicated to share research findings, data and facts that can save lives of people addicted to drugs, has been observed recently.

The latest annual report ‘World Drug Report 2021’ has also been released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which provides an overview of global drug markets, as well as their impact on people’s health and livelihoods.

• In order to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a world free of drug abuse, the UN General Assembly, on December 7, 1987, decided to mark June 26 as theInternational Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
• International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed with an aim to spread awareness about the global drug problem and eliminate drug misuse
• Theme: ‘Share Drug Facts to Save Lives' is the theme of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking this year.
  • The focus this year is to curb the spread of misinformation on the topic and to encourage the exchange of facts related to drugs.

What is world drug report?

• Every year, the UN body publishes a world drug report with statistics and data on how to tackle the global drug crisis.
• The World Drug Report 2021 is aimed not only at fostering greater international cooperation to counter the impact of the world drug problem on health, governance and security but also, with its special focus on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, at assisting Member States in anticipating and addressing challenges that may arise in the near future.

• Around 275 million people used drugs globally in the last year. Over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders: 2021 World Drug Report, UNODC.
• Rise in the use of cannabis during the pandemic has been reported by most countries. 
• Non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs has also been observed in the same period.
• The latest global estimates say, about 5.5 per cent of the population between 15 and 64 years have used drugs at least once in the past year.
• 3 million people (13 per cent of the total number of persons who use drugs) suffer from disoders linked to drug abuse.
• Over 11 million people globally are estimated to inject drugs - half of them have Hepatitis C. 
• Opioids continue to account for the largest burden of disease-linked to drug abuse.
• Drug markets have quickly resumed operations after the initial disruption when the COVID-19 pandemic started.
• There is a rise in larger shipments of illicit drugs and frequency of overland routes used for trafficking.
• Private planes are being increasingly used for drug trafficking, and even contactless methods have risen to deliver drugs.

• The study found that the potency of cannabis had increased four-fold in the last 24 years.
• In addition to this, it said that the percentage of adolescents who perceived the drug as harmful fell by as much as 40 percent in the US and 25 percent in Europe.
• This, "despite evidence that cannabis use is associated with a variety of health and other harms, especially among regular long-term users".
• Forty-two percent of the healthcare professionals surveyed in 77 countries said that the use of cannabis had increased during the COVID-19
  

• The Dark Web Drug markets on the dark web only emerged a decade ago but major ones are now worth at least US$ 315 million in annual sales.
• Although this is just a fraction of overall drug sales, the trend is upwards with a fourfold increase between 2011 to mid-2017 and mid-2017 to 2020.
• Rapid technological innovation, combined with the agility and adaptability of those using new platforms to sell drugs and other substances, is likely to usher in a globalized market where all drugs are more available and accessible everywhere.
• This, in turn, could trigger accelerated changes in patterns of drug use and entail public health implications.
  

• International treaties and conventions
• Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961
• Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971
• Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988
• Transnational Crime Convention, 2000
• Central Acts
• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
• The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988

The COVID-19 pandemic has made people realize the importance of their health and protective measures to stay fit. However, there is need to contribute and strengthen the fight against drug addiction.