Preventive and treatment measures to reduce drug abuse: summary of responses to a survey of national programmes. United Nations Secretariat.

This article summarizes the salient points extracted from the responses of 67 Governments to a survey of national drug-abuse prevention and treatment programmes. The results of the survey were presented in more detail in E/CN.7/673, which was considered by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its seventh special session in February 1982. Most responses indicated that heavy reliance was placed on control and drug law enforcement to reduce the availability of illicit drugs. Some concern was expressed over the possibility that drug information or drug education that was ill-conceived or inaccurately targeted might arouse curiosity and experimentation. There had been relatively little in-depth evaluation of the effectiveness of either preventive or treatment measures that had been undertaken. The involvement of voluntary organizations, families, communities and groups of "high-risk" youth was generally regarded, however, as an essential feature of successful preventive and treatment work. A few responses indicated that the maintenance of heroin or other opiate addicts had been successful in reducing drug-related crime and other undesirable behaviour. Preventive education was most effective when presented within the broader context of health education, as well as civics or similar studies within the curriculum of schools and universities. School programmes were more effective when they involved communities. A considerable effort had been made to train medical personnel and those likely to come into professional contact with persons at risk. Shortages of trained staff and other resources were frequently mentioned as inhibiting factors.