Embrace Harm Reduction On This Year’s World Drug Day

Support Don’t Punish, a worldwide campaign marked on World Drug Day every 26th June, is commemorated to strengthen action and cooperation focused on health and human rights.

This year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse campaign recognises that effective drug control policies must be rooted in scientific evidence, research, full respect for human rights, compassion, and a deep understanding of the socio-economic and health implications of drug abuse.

Protecting youth from harm has been a critical argument in advocacy for prohibitionist, prevention-based drug policy. However, the prevailing trends of drug policy in Africa cause severe and unintended damage to the youth.

While the impact of drugs on young people has always been at the forefront of political concerns about drug use in Africa, the delicate discourse on ‘protecting’ the youth from the ‘threat’ of drugs does not mirror the effectiveness of the policies that are adopted.

Support for health-based approaches in Africa

Punitive drug control laws, policies, and law enforcement practices are among the most significant obstacles to health care in many African countries.

With the African region projected to see an increase of 40% in drug consumption by 2030 in line with anticipated population growth, the need to reconsider drug policy approaches is perhaps more pressing in Africa than elsewhere.

The harm reduction approach is more humane and transformative than prohibition-based policies. With this approach, regulators provide drug users with information, choice, and support to expand the off-ramp from drug use– while also continuing to drive down underage use.

Let us equip communities in Africa with the tools and resources to implement evidence-based harm reduction initiatives, foster resilience against drug use, and promote practical solutions.