The activities of authorised agencies such as police, customs, border services, and investigative bodies to enforce drug control laws and address criminal activities related to the production, trafficking, and distribution of illicit substances. These activities may include investigations, intelligence gathering, interdiction, and collaboration with national and international partners to disrupt organised crime networks. Law enforcement plays an important role in protecting public safety and maintaining the rule of law, and is most effective when coordinated with broader public health, prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts as part of a balanced and comprehensive response to substance use.
Law Enforcement
Connecting Communities to Substance Use Services: Practical Approaches for First Responders
Abstract During their day-to-day work, first responders such as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel often encounter people who use drugs (PWUD), including alcohol, opioids, stimulants, and...
Learnings from a prison-based drug treatment program on planning for release
Substance use disorder is common among people in prison worldwide. This report explores the experiences of males in prison who completed and those who did not complete a group-based drug and alcohol program, to gain insight into their...
Stop Overdose Safely: UNODC successfully trained Ukrainian CSOs on emergency management of opioid overdose
From 6th to 8th June 2023, the UNODC Programme Office for Ukraine (POUKR) and the UNODC Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section (PTRS), jointly with Ukrainian NGOs, “Club Eney” and “Conviktus”, organized an in-person “Stop Overdose...
National Drug Treatment Reporting System 2022: Alcohol Treatment Demand
In this bulletin, data on treated problem alcohol use for the year 2022 are presented, followed by trends for the seven-year period from 2016 to 2022. The data are from the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS), the national...
UNODC conducted Regional Training of Trainers on UTC 20 in Central Asia
The UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia in collaboration with Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section, UNODC HQ held a Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) on Course 20 – “ Populations with Special Clinical Needs” which took...
“People first: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention and treatment” in Mexico
“I had to become a person with drug use disorders to realize that we are all human.” These heartfelt words come from Brenda Torres Carrillo, a nurse working with the civil association PrevenCasa in Tijuana and a former user of drugs:...
Community Partnerships to Curb Drug and Substance Abuse
In support of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2023, a community drug abuse council in Baguio conducted a dialogue with the Police and members of the community. The objective is to further raise awareness on...
“NAVCHETNA: A new Consciousness on Life Skills and Drug Education for School Children”
NAVCHETNA Training for Master Trainers has successfully completed at SCERT, Punjab conducted by ISSUP India Chapter. The training took place from 17th - 19th July 2023 for three batches simultaneously in Hindi, English and Punjabi languages...
New Global Coalition Launched to Address Synthetic Drug Threats
On July 7, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted a virtual Ministerial-level meeting to launch a Global Coalition to address Synthetic Drug Threats.
MPSP speaks out against the decriminalization of drug possession for personal consumption
Dr. Mario Luiz Sarrubbo, Attorney General of the State of São Paulo, filed a memorial with the Federal Supreme Court (STF) with the position of the São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office on the agenda that deals with the possible...