Drugs: focus on prevention and education

The international day against drug abuse and drug trafficking celebrated on June 26 is an important day! We must take this opportunity to organize information campaigns. This scourge concerns us all and we must get more involved every day to put an end to it. Drug use creates serious problems for society, important financial burden, medical costs, accidents

Cannabis use among adolescents and young adults in Switzerland has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2017, 9% of teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24 said they had used cannabis in the past month. Crystal Meth, a synthetic drug, is becoming more popular in our country. Worldwide, alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive substance among young people. In Switzerland, 13% of the boys and 8% of the girls aged 15 declare to have been really drunk at least once during the month preceding the survey.

I have always advocated zero tolerance for street dealing! My profession as a police officer and my experience in the field show me every day the devastation caused by drugs and the concern of parents when drug dealers approach our schools. It may sound utopian, but prevention and education on the danger of drugs are key instruments, the first ones to be put on the list of solutions to curb this problem. Informing children and their parents without moralizing or accusing, but emphasizing the effects and risks involved will bring about a change. An informed young person will be able to decide for himself and thanks to this he will be able to say no to the dealers!

“When we talk about the life and future of the next generation, it is really better to prevent than to cure,” said Yuri Fedotov, Director General of UNOV and Executive Director of UNODC (2010-2019). Let’s commit to this day! Because we can all do something about it.