Intervention by the Minister of Health,
Mr. G. Pamboridis,
at the Special Session of
the UN General Assembly
on the World Drug Problem, New York
Round Table 1 (19 April): Demand Reduction and related measures,
including prevention and treatment, as well as health-related issues,
and ensuring the availability of controlled substances for medical
and scientific purposes, while preventing their diversion (“drugs and
health”)
Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, Ladies and
Gentlemen,
My delegation subscribes to the
statement of the European Union. I would like to add some remarks in my national
capacity.
Cyprus strongly believes that UNGASS
2016 is an opportunity to exchange views and promote measures that have been
proven effective in order to address the world drug phenomenon.
The Republic of Cyprus is fully aligned
with the EU position and the EU Drugs Strategy which supports a balanced and
evidence-based approach and considers drug dependence as a public health issue
and a human rights policy priority.
Dear
Excellencies,
Allow me at this point to refer to our
national Drugs and Alcohol Strategy for the period 2013-2020 and the main aims
of its Demand Reduction Pillar. Concerning drug prevention in Cyprus, the main
focus is on the support of vulnerable groups in order to prevent the use of
illicit and licit substances and the provision of programs in areas of high
risk.
In the context of this National
Strategy, the following high-risk groups were identified: early school
drop-outs, students and/or soldiers that use licit and illicit 20 substances,
prisoners’ children, children whose parents face psychological problems or
addiction, children of unemployed people, pregnant women that use licit or
illicit substances and families that need support.
Concerning drug treatment and social
reintegration, the focus of the Strategy is to: a) provide treatment programmes
for specific sub groups, such as migrants, women and patients with dual
diagnosis, b) increase accessibility to treatment, c) increase treatment
programme effectiveness and retention to treatment, d) improve the delivery of
treatment within the criminal justice system and e) provide support to
individuals at the social reintegration stage.
Along these
lines,
The Cyprus Parliament passed last week
the legislation that provides for the referral to treatment instead of
imprisonment and this, we consider a major step forward. Our Strategy also
provides for the implementation of harm reduction practices within the health
system. At this point, we would like to stress that drug policies should promote
evidence based and cost-effective measures in order to address the drugs
phenomenon and its negative consequences. This, is in line not only with the
provision of scientifically sound policies, but also ensures that public
spending is directed to those policies that work.
Such harm reduction measures that have
been implemented in the EU and have proven to be effective as regards the
reduction of drug-related deaths, crime and infectious diseases are opioid
substitution therapy, needle and syringe exchange programmes and naloxone
provision.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are very happy to see that the
UNGASS outcome document mentions a number of risks and harm reduction measures.
We strongly urge Member States to consider implementing or reinforcing these
measures in the context of the drug demand reduction part of the balanced
approach.
Evidence suggests that these measures
improve health of the people concerned but also save lives.
Thank
you.
