The focus of the public - the problems of drug trafficking and psychotropic substances
01/07/2020 19:05
The focus of the public - the problems of drug trafficking and psychotropic substances
01/07/2020 19:05
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- According to the UN, more than 35 million people worldwide are addicted to drugs, their number is only increasing. Experts note that the COVID-19 pandemic affects both the distribution of drugs and the behavior of drug users and seriously complicates the fight against drug trafficking. This was reported by the press service of the Yuksalish National Movement.
According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, over the nine years - from 2009 to 2018 - the number of people who use drugs has grown by 30 percent and reached 269 million people. Moreover, in developing countries, the scale of drug use is increasing much faster than in developed countries, and most of the consumers are teenagers and youth.
The report notes that the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated the situation. Closing borders, canceling flights and other restrictions violated traditional drug supply routes. Their shortage in the “black market” leads to the fact that people begin to use lower quality and more dangerous drugs, and their prices are rising.
At the same time, rising unemployment and declining incomes may prompt people to look for illegal income, including cultivating illegal crops and transporting drugs. In addition, desperate people are more likely to find solace in alcohol and drugs, which means that we can expect a further increase in the number of drug users.
Within the framework of the next public dialogue, organized by the Yuksalish National Movement together with NAEMI on 1 July, the legal, psychological, socio-economic aspects of the spread of narcotic drugs and psychoactive drugs in Uzbekistan were discussed, global trends, systemic problems, growth factors of the so-called "Drug addiction." The emphasis is on the need for the widespread introduction of modern methods of preventing drug trafficking, taking into account world practice, and involving the civil sector in preventive work.
It was noted that a further worsening of the drug situation is also forecasted in Uzbekistan, which, having developed automobile and railway infrastructure, is the most “convenient” territory as a “transit corridor” for transporting Afghan drugs. According to the National Information and Analytical Center for Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers, in 2019, 5,026 (last year - 4,779) crimes related to drug trafficking were detected. Moreover, most of all in Tashkent, Surkhandarya and Ferghana regions. Out of the total number of identified 1,701 (1,626) drug offenses related to drug trafficking, 395 (266) - smuggling, 1,064 (1238) - illegal cultivation of drug-containing plants.
The narcological situation was characterized by a continuing reduction in the number of drug addicts registered in the dispensary - 5698 (2018 - 6142). The number of drug addicts identified and taken to the dispensary slightly increased. The growth rate was observed in the city of Tashkent, Bukhara and Tashkent regions. The proportion of people with a first-time diagnosis of drug abuse was 73.4% (75.2%), of which 60.8% (65.6%) were addicted to cannabinoids. The proportion of women was 1.9% (2.1%), drug addicts aged 20-39 years old - 31.9% (31.9%) and persons over 40 years old - 68% (67.8%).
If in Uzbekistan the first case of the detection of the drug “spice” was registered in 2015, so far several dozens of new types of substances have been found in illicit trafficking. According to UNODC, in total, more than 60 different types of synthetic drugs have been identified in the Central Asian region. Their relative cheapness, the complexity of detection and identification, the variability of species and forms pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of the population, especially young people.
The dialogue examined the priority areas of international cooperation in the field of drug control with a focus on the potential of international and regional organizations. Participants - representatives of relevant government agencies, international organizations, journalists and bloggers, activists of public organizations - given the continuing urgency of the problem of drug trafficking, challenges and trends at the regional and country levels (drug addiction, online sales, the emergence of non-traditional types of psychoactive substances for Uzbekistan) emphasized the importance of further improving the regulatory framework with a focus on changes in the drug scene and new patterns of drug use, expanding qualified professional assistance for rehabilitation and overcoming stigma in society, an integrated approach to prevention, creating an enabling environment for the development of a child from an early age, suggestions have been made in this direction.
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