(Focus on Boao) The global drug crisis intensifies, and countries are working together to build a tight anti-drug "protection net"

　　China News Service, Boao, March 27th: The global drug crisis is intensifying, and countries are working together to build a tight anti-drug "protection net"

　　China News Service reporter Guo Chaokai

　　Currently, the global drug epidemic is further intensifying, and the production, trafficking and abuse of synthetic drugs continue to expand. Under the new situation, how countries can work together to manage the drug problem and build a dense drug "protection net" has received attention at the 2024 Annual Conference of the Boao Forum for Asia.

　　Drugs are the public enemy of mankind and a cancer on regional development and social security. The current global drug crisis is intensifying.

　　The "World Drug Report 2023" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime last year shows that the number of global drug users continues to increase, the illegal drug market continues to expand, and drug trafficking networks become increasingly flexible, which is exacerbating the global drug crisis. , posing severe challenges to law enforcement and medical and health departments in various countries. More than 296 million people around the world use drugs in 2021, 23% higher than 10 years ago; the number of people suffering from drug abuse worldwide has reached 39.5 million, a 45% increase in the past 10 years.

　　At the Social Governance and Regional Security Sub-forum of the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 Annual Conference held on the 27th, the guests discussed the theme of "Economic and Social Development and Drug Problem Governance", providing Asian wisdom for promoting global joint governance of drugs.

　　Former Slovenian President Danilo Turk cited the "Report" data at the sub-forum and pointed out that the global treatment and intervention for people suffering from drug abuse are far from meeting the needs, and only one in five patients will receive relevant treatment in 2021. , which will have a huge impact on global economic development.

On March 27, former Slovenian President Danilo Turk spoke at the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 Annual Conference. Photo by China News Service reporter Guo Chaokai

　　Talking about the current new global drug situation, Jeremy Douglas, Director of the Office of the Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna, pointed out that synthetic drugs have undergone major changes in the past two decades and are becoming more and more lethal. Synthetic drugs are emerging in more countries, posing a greater threat, and governments must invest more in preventive management.

　　At the sub-forum that day, Wei Xiaojun, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the National Narcotics Control Commission of China, Bissophan, Cambodian Minister of State, Areepak, Director of the Drug Demand Reduction Bureau of the Office of Narcotics Control Bureau of Thailand, and other guests shared their respective countries’ drug control experiences and practices.

On March 27, Wei Xiaojun, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the National Narcotics Control Commission of China, spoke at the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 Annual Conference. Photo by China News Service reporter Guo Chaokai

　　How to build a tight "protective net" for drugs is a common problem facing all countries. In this regard, the guests at the meeting agreed that all countries should further strengthen anti-drug cooperation.

　　It is the common responsibility of the whole world to deepen multilateral cooperation in drug control and work together to deal with the drug problem. Danilo Turk said that drugs have had many impacts on economic and social development and world peace and security, and all countries must work together to find a suitable solution.

　　In order to jointly respond to and solve outstanding drug problems, China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime jointly established and improved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) mechanism for anti-drug cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion. After 30 years of development, the The mechanism has become the most important multilateral anti-drug cooperation mechanism in the region.

　　As the initiator, signatory and largest donor of the mechanism, China has actively led and promoted project activities in the field of anti-drugs, strengthened partnerships among regional countries, and played an important role in curbing the spread of drugs in the "Golden Triangle" region.

　　The guests at the sub-forum "liked" the mechanism one after another and fully affirmed China's positive role in the mechanism.

　　Expanding from the Greater Mekong Sub-region to the global arena, from establishing a normal communication mechanism to signing cooperation documents one after another, as bilateral and multilateral anti-drug international cooperation mechanisms become increasingly perfect, China’s international anti-drug “circle of friends” continues to expand, and the impact of international anti-drug control Strength continues to expand.

　　Wei Xiaojun said that in recent years, China's anti-drug authorities have continued to promote strict drug control and rectification, improved the drug management system, and achieved an overall improvement in the anti-drug situation and the overall drug problem is under control.

　　China is a model for global drug governance and is widely recognized by the international community. For a long time, China has firmly upheld the international anti-drug system based on the three United Nations anti-drug conventions, continued to deepen international anti-drug cooperation, provided Chinese wisdom for the global governance of the drug problem, and demonstrated its responsibility as a major country.

　　As of June 2023, China has signed 50 intergovernmental and interdepartmental anti-drug cooperation documents with more than 30 countries and national alliances, established annual meeting mechanisms with 13 countries, joined 5 multilateral anti-drug cooperation mechanisms including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Bordering countries have established 13 border drug control liaison officer offices to continuously deepen all-round trust and cooperation with other countries in the field of drug control.

　　John Collins, academic director of the Global Initiative to Combat Transnational Organized Crime, pointed out that China's anti-drug work has achieved world-renowned results and plays an indispensable role in promoting global drug governance. (over)