On
this International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,
we celebrate the choice that millions of people around the
world have made to live healthily, and we applaud the courage
shown by those who have stopped using drugs. In doing so,
we send a positive message to all people who use or might
be tempted to use drugs: “Value yourself... make healthy choices”.
This
day is also an occasion to highlight the fact that nearly
200 million people are still consuming illegal drugs. These
drugs might have names that sound colourful or enticing, such
as crack, pot, junk, crystal meth, and disco biscuits. But
these are little more than tickets to a dead end. For those
trapped by addiction, treatment is a way out, and the choice
to seek treatment is not only courageous, but often life-saving.
Those who have not ventured down the path of drug abuse should
learn the lesson from those who have, and firmly choose not
to.
Making
healthy choices also means choosing a lifestyle that has a
positive effect on the body and mind, including, for example,
participation in sports to improve health and well-being,
teach the value of teamwork and discipline, and build self-confidence.
On
this day, let us strengthen our collective resolve to live
in a society free of drugs, and let us encourage all our fellow
human beings to make personal choices to lead healthy lives.
-- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
Links
United
Nations Office on Drugs & Crime
UNESCO
and Drug Abuse Prevention Through Education
Dag
Hammarskjold Library Links on Substance Abuse
UN
Days & Years Meditation Initiative
American
Council for Drug Education
Canadian
Centre on Substance Abuse
Global
Youth Network - Youth & Drugs
National Council
on Alcohol & Drug Dependence
National
Institute on Drug Abuse
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
Parents-The
Anti-Drug
Prevention
Online
Substance
Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
