Jürgen Rehm, Professor and Senior Scientist: "Currently, new methods or drug policies are discarded without having been tested based on very polarized views about drug use and consequences"
Actualidad
Internacional
Ibe Christogonus, Founder and Executive Director of ‘African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention: «Interventions must be adapted to local contexts, taking into account cultural beliefs, traditional values, religious practices, economic conditions, family structures, and community attitudes toward substance use»
At the ‘Barcelona Forum on Drugs,’ we spoke with Ibe Christogonus Chidiebere, Founder and Executive Director of the NGO ‘African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention’, about the challenge that today’s society faces regarding drug use.
Question. Based on your experience as a civil society expert, what is the greatest challenge societies face today in reducing drug use and its consequences?
Answer: Based on my experience as a civil society expert, the greatest challenges societies face today in reducing drug use and its consequences include inadequate funding, weak implementation of drug prevention policies, limited access to evidence-based prevention programs, and insufficient public awareness. Other significant challenges include poverty, unemployment, peer pressure, family instability, drug trafficking, and the increasing availability of illicit substances, particularly among youths. The stigma associated with drug use also discourages individuals from seeking treatment, counselling, and rehabilitation services
Some of the consequences associated with the challenges societies face today in reducing drug use include increased crime, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, family breakdown, and rising cases of mental health problems. These challenges also contribute to school dropouts, domestic violence, road accidents, homelessness, and the spread of infectious diseases. Furthermore, drug use places enormous pressure on healthcare systems, weakens community development, reduces productivity, and threatens the social and economic stability of nations.
Q. If you had to identify something we are not doing well enough in prevention, treatment or drug policy, what should we change?
A. Some of the things we are not doing well enough in substance use prevention, treatment and drug policy include inadequate funding for preventive programmes, limited access to evidence-based treatment and rehabilitation, insufficient public awareness, stigmatization of people who use drugs, weak enforcement of existing policies, inadequate research and data collection, and limited youth participation in policy development. We also need to address the socioeconomic factors, including unemployment, poverty, peer pressure and family challenges, that contribute to substance use.
To improve our approach, we must shift from punitive measures to evidence-based, human-rights-centred and public-health-oriented strategies. Governments should invest more in early prevention, school-based education, community engagement, family support, accessible treatment, rehabilitation and long-term recovery services. We must strengthen collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals, families and young people. Furthermore, drug policies should be informed by scientific research, reliable data, continuous evaluation and meaningful youth participation to ensure sustainable impact and healthier, safer communities.
I hope that the Barcelona Forum on Drugs will contribute significantly to transforming the narratives surrounding the global fight against substance use, especially among young people.
Q. The ‘Barcelona Forum on Drugs’ brings together governments, researchers, professionals, civil society, young people and people with lived experience. What do we need to do to turn this collaboration into real change?
To turn the collaboration at the Barcelona Forum on Drugs into real change, we must move beyond dialogue and translate our collective commitments into practical, evidence-based actions. Governments, researchers, professionals, civil society, young people and people with lived experience must work together to develop inclusive drug policies that prioritize prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and human rights.
We need to strengthen partnerships, share research, mobilize sustainable funding and establish clear responsibilities, measurable targets and accountability mechanisms. Young people and people with lived experience must be meaningfully involved in policy development, programme implementation and evaluation, rather than treated merely as beneficiaries.
We must also promote knowledge exchange, support community-based initiatives and encourage governments to adopt effective, evidence-based interventions. Stronger regional and international cooperation is essential to addressing emerging drug-related challenges.
Ultimately, the success of the Forum should be measured not by the number of discussions held, but by the policies implemented, lives improved and communities transformed.
Q. Addiction is a global issue, but social and cultural realities differ greatly. What should be shared globally, and what needs to be adapted to each local context?
A. Addiction is a global issue that requires international collaboration while recognizing the social, cultural, economic and religious realities of different communities. Globally, we should share evidence-based prevention strategies, effective treatment models, research findings, human rights standards, professional training and successful rehabilitation practices. International cooperation is also essential in addressing drug trafficking, emerging substances, public health challenges and the social consequences of addiction.
However, interventions must be adapted to local contexts, considering cultural beliefs, traditional values, religious practices, economic conditions, family structures and community attitudes towards substance use. In Africa, for instance, prevention programmes should actively engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, schools, youth organizations and community-based institutions to overcome stigma and encourage early intervention. Governments and civil society must develop locally relevant policies that reflect the needs of vulnerable populations. Ultimately, global knowledge should provide the foundation, while local communities should shape implementation to ensure that prevention, treatment and recovery programmes are accessible, acceptable, sustainable and effective.
Q. What do you think the ‘Barcelona Forum on Drugs’ can contribute?
A. In my expectation, I believe the Barcelona Forum on Drugs will contribute significantly to changing the narratives in the global fight against substance use, especially among young people. Some of the expected new narratives include shifting from punitive approaches to evidence-based, human-rights-centred and public health interventions; prioritizing early prevention, education and community engagement; and recognizing young people as active partners in policy development rather than passive beneficiaries. The Forum will also promote stronger collaboration among governments, civil society, researchers, professionals and people with lived experience. I expect it to encourage culturally sensitive prevention strategies, improve access to treatment and rehabilitation, address stigma and discrimination, and strengthen investment in youth-led initiatives. Ultimately, the Forum should inspire sustainable policies, shared responsibility and practical actions that address the root causes of substance use and empower young people to become agents of change in building healthier, safer and drug-resilient communities worldwide.
The Barcelona Forum on Drugs should pay greater attention to Africa and the wider Global South by promoting equitable international partnerships. Developed nations should collaborate with Global South countries to address the root causes of substance use, particularly poverty, unemployment and corruption. Such partnerships should strengthen evidence-based prevention, accessible treatment, research, capacity building and inclusive policy development, ensuring that local realities, cultural values and the voices of affected communities are reflected in sustainable global drug policies.
