United Nations Decade against Drug Abuse

The drug problem is a complex, multifaceted and pervasive one, and the active involvement of civil society in finding effective solutions, particularly in demand reduction, is of paramount importance. A new impetus was given to mobilizing civil society in the fight against drug abuse with the launching of the United Nations Decade Against Drug Abuse (1991-2000).

The Decade was proclaimed by the General Assembly on 23 February 1990 (resolution S-17/2). Also adopted was a Global Programme of Action to fight illegal drugs on all levels, which focused on international cooperation against illicit production, supply, demand and trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

On 23 December 1994, the Assembly reaffirmed the importance of achieving the objectives of the Decade, under the theme "A global response to a global challenge", by Member States, the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the United Nations system (resolution 49/168 II).

A Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control had been adopted at Vienna in 1987 at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. National authorities and interested organizations were urged to use the Outline for developing strategies that would attack all aspects of the drug problem, including illicit demand, cultivation of illicit drug crops, trafficking, misuse of the banking system, and treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers. States were asked to strengthen measures against profiting from drug trafficking, against illegal financial flows and against illegal use of the banking system.

Within the context of the decade, a number of events have been held with this particular aim: a series of international meetings of Mayors Against Drugs; four international private sector conferences on Drugs in the Workplace and the Community, held in Seville (Spain) in 1993, Porto Alegre (Brazil) in 1995, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in 1997, and in Sundsvall (Sweden) in 1999 respectively. These were attended by representatives of the private sector, local authorities, trade unions, NGOs, international organizations and experts on substance abuse and its consequences; training courses for journalists; and activities of the Sports Against Drugs programme.

Stamp catalogue

Bangladesh 1 January 1991

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last revised: 21 February 2008