Every year on June 26th, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, also known as World Drug Day, is held to raise awareness about drug-related issues and to urge international collaboration to combat their impacts on health, society, and government.
Every year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) prepares the World Drug Report which contains factual data and statistics to address the current drug problem.
Theme
The theme for this year is ‘Share Facts On Drugs, Save Lives’. According to UNODC, the motive is to battle disinformation about drugs by disseminating true facts about them, ranging from health hazards and solutions to the global drug issue to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and care.
History
The United Nations General Assembly designated June 26 as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in its resolution 42/112 on December 7, 1987. The assembly decided to observe this day as part of its resolution to make international society free of drug abuse.
Significance
As per the UNODC, due to the COVID-19 crisis, people are now more aware of their health, protective measures to stay fit, and safeguarding each other. ‘A growing sense of global community and solidarity continues to emerge, as does the need to ensure health care for all. World Drug Day is a day to share research findings, evidence-based data, and life-saving facts, and to continue tapping into a shared spirit of solidarity,’ it reads on its website.
On this day, activists, therapists, and organizations striving to prevent drug misuse join forces to assist victims of this societal scourge.
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