Health in the Havana Agreements Part II

Point #4: Solution to the Illicit Drug Problem

The agreements have placed at the center of the debate the correct way to address the problem of illicit drugs. Special emphasis is placed on solving illicit crops, the illegal economies that trade in psychoactive substances and the consumption of illicit drugs. In this way, an Integral National Program for the Substitution of Illicitly Used Crops (for producers) is proposed, and the problem of consumption is treated as a public health issue with a rights-based approach.

The agreement proposes the creation of an Integral Intervention Program against the Consumption of Illicit Drugs, in order to articulate and review the institutions and policies related to consumption. This policy will address consumption from the joint work between the State and society, where the promotion of comprehensive care (including treatment, rehabilitation and harm reduction), and the public health approach will have a special emphasis on children and adolescents.

National Program for Integral Intervention against Illicit Drug Consumption

This will be a high-level body created by the government to carry out institutional coordination and review, adjust and implement the policy for dealing with drug use. The policy will incorporate a human rights, public health (comprehensive, effective and sustainable over time), differential, gender, community participation and evidence-based approach (i.e. all actions taken will be supported by research and validation).

Some of the actions that the plan seeks are:

• Review and evaluation of policies and strategies that have been developed at the national and local levels in terms of prevention and overcoming consumption, as well as risk and harm mitigation, with the participation of communities and experts on the subject.

• Actions to strengthen and train communities -men and women- in order to contribute to the promotion of health and prevention of drug use.

• Actions to support and strengthen youth leadership processes with the purpose of having a positive impact in different scenarios (schools, clubs, neighborhoods, etc.).

• Create mechanisms to disseminate information on illicit drug use considering the different audiences of interest.

• Participatory action plans with a territorial and population approach.