The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking is being celebrated on June 26 like every year to mark the signing of the declaration adopted at the International Conference against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, 1987.
To celebrate the day, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) will organise a seminar at UNIC on Saturday in collaboration with the government of Pakistan.
The theme of this year is "Drugs: treatment works", aims at emphasising the importance and effectiveness of drug treatment - to drug dependent individuals, as well as to the general public.
The theme highlights the importance of treatment and rehabilitation of addicts. Effective drug abuse treatment can also help alleviate some of the most devastating social ills - crime, the transmission of infectious diseases, loss of productivity, and family and social disorders.
The UNODC Country Office working in Pakistan for 29 years is supporting series of seminars and workshops in different cities where experts will share experience on addiction, treatment.
Its current programme encompasses support to drug treatment and rehabilitation centres, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention and assistance to law enforcement agencies including the provision of training, equipment and organisational advice.
Through the UNODC programme, the recovering addicts will share the miseries they faced because of drug addiction and how successfully they recovered from this menace. Moreover, material developed under the theme "Drugs: Treatment Works", will be used throughout the year for discussion in forums, seminars, workshops etc, to enlighten decision makers, professionals, parents, teachers and community leaders about the importance of drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation.