By Mama A. Touray
The Minister of Interior, Hon Seyaka Sonko has joined voices to the world to commemorate International Day Against Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking saying the revelation of the findings of the 2021 world drug report shows a worrying trend for Africa.
Joining voices in commemoration this day, on Friday. at his office in Kotu, on the theme “people first: stop stigma and discrimination and strengthen prevention” Hon Sonko said “Revelation of the findings of the 2021 world drug report shows a worrying trend for Africa. This is because Africa alone is projected to account for 40% of an estimated eleven percent 11% global increase in drug use by 2030”.
He said similarly the report indicated a substantial disconnect between real risk and public perception regarding the usage of cannabis, adding that, the report stated that while the potency of cannabis quadrupled, there was a 40% decrease in the perception of youth who perceive it to be harmful.
“If Africa alone is projected to account for a forty percent global increase in addition to a forty percent reduction in the perception of youth who perceive cannabis to be harmful, then we must heighten our surveillance, strengthen our resolve to curb drugs, and increase public awareness about the dangers of illicit drugs and related activities,” he told the media.
Hon. Sonko went on to say that the outcomes of the devastating consequences of drugs are insurmountable as in 2019 alone, it is revealed that drug use killed almost half a million people across the globe and that the situation continues to aggravate as drug traffickers continue to use sophisticated methods to traffic their illicit products.
Recent drug interdiction, he said, shows that traffickers have now resorted to using larger shipment sizes, increased usage of private aircraft, water routes, postal service, and contactless methods to deliver their illicit products to end users.
The Minister stressed that this challenge is further compounded by the advent of new psychoactive-substance in addition to the threat of illicit drug trafficking and abuse on the health and well-being of individuals and societies as well as the socio-economic development of nations across the globe.
He said the theme highlighted the importance of implementing a balanced integrated multi-sectoral approach between supply suppression and drug demand reduction.
He continued: “It indicates that while we intensify efforts aimed at strengthening our interdiction capacity, we must also strengthen and enhance drug demand reduction initiatives focusing on prevention, treatment and care, harm reduction, and alternative livelihood programs and activities”.
