International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed on 26 June every year to strengthen global action and cooperation towards achieving the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. Observance of this day aims to raise awareness to fight against substance abuse as well as the unlawful trade of drugs. International Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit Trafficking was first observed by the UN General Assembly in 1987. According to the World Drug Report 2017, released by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), about a quarter of a billion people (or 5.3% global adult population) used drugs at least once in 2015. Of these, around 29.5 million people (or 0.6 per cent of the global adult population)suffered from drug use disorders, including dependence.
History of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking:
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The United Nations General Assembly decided to designate June 26 as International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on December 1987. The chosen date is to commemorate Lin Zexu's dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong just before the First Opium War in China.
Significance of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking:
The day is used to highlight the dangers of drug abuse and bring awareness to people on how to deal with it. The UNODC has over the years been participating actively by launching campaigns to gain support for drug control. It also often teams up with other organisations to encourage people to take part in the campaigns. There have been many public rallies to promote awareness about the dangers of illicit drug use, with governments and organisations taking the lead in organising such events.
The goal of the day is to strengthen global action and cooperation towards creating a society that is free from drug abuse and unlawful drug trade.
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