UNODC - Estándares internacionales en prevención del uso de drogas

International Standards on Drug Use Prevention (2012)

Documento disponible (en inglés) en: 
http://www.unodc.org/documents/prevention/prevention_standards.pdf

"There was a time when drug prevention was limited to printing leaflets to warn young people about the danger of drugs, with little or no resulting behaviour change. Now, science allows us to tell a different story. Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs . 

These global International Standards summarize the currently available scientific evidence, describing interventions and policies that have been found to result in positive prevention outcomes and their characteristics.(...) 

It is our hope that the International Standards will guide policy makers worldwide to develop programmes, policies and systems that are a truly effective investment in the future of children, youth, families and communities". 

UNODC - Acerca de la prevención basada en información sobre riesgos

Tomado del programa Youth Initiative, de United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).


Myth 5 ‘Information on the dangers of drugs prevents drug use’  (Extractos)

http://www.unodc.org/documents/drug-prevention-and-treatment/Youth%20Initiative/Myth_5_Media_and_information_Final.pdf 

“(...) more than just spreading information on the negative consequences of drug use is needed for preventing drug use. In fact, spreading emotion provoking messages on dangers of drugs can even lead to opposite outcomes, as it can increase curiosity, experimentation with drug use, or even increase stigmatization of those already using drugs, so such campaigns need to be planned and implemented with great care. When done correctly, information based campaigns bear great potential in supporting the healthy lifestyles of youth. (...)

Spreading information on negative consequences is not enough for preventing drug use. Having information on the consequences of certain behaviors is generally not enough to help to actually change those behaviors. 

For changing our behaviors we need also other help, such as skills, favorable environment, positive norms, intentions and attitudes, and that is why good prevention interventions target the multiple resilience and vulnerability factors beyond awareness, and for example support the learning of various life-skills, or parenting-skills, or aim at providing favorable and supporting environment e.g. via promoting access to good quality education or changing the norms and policies in schools.

UNODC - Acerca de la penalización del uso de drogas

Tomado del programa Youth Initiative, de United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Myth 4 – Punishing drug users will help to tackle the world drug problem

When looking what kind of response societies have on drug use, punishing drug users seems often to be a commonly adopted strategy for tackling with the multiple negative consequences that problematic drug use is causing for societies. 

Drug use has a serious impact on individual lives, not to mention the influence on security or economic development at the country level. Drug use is listed on the top of 20 risk factors compromising public health worldwide, and in the top 10 within the developed countries. To best protect the health of its citizens, the United Nations always encourage governments to see drug use as a public health issue. 

Other public health issues such as diabetes or mental health conditions are also not tackled by punishing the patients or blaming their parents. Similar to drug use, these health conditions are also affected by individuals own lifestyle choices among a broad range of other factors, such as genetics, family environment or the choices available to an individual in a given society and community. Why should drug use related disorders be any different from this?