58 countries attend Moscow world conference on drugs

Moscow: The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Anti-Drug Union organised an international conference, ‘Parliamentarians Against Drugs’ held in Moscow.

The conference took place at the State Duma Building Plenary Hall and was attended by parliamentarians from 58 countries, while seven countries, including Pakistan, sent representatives of supreme legislative bodies.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq, headed the Pakistan delegation which included Chairperson Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation (KKAWF) Cristina Afridi, based on her work on drug abuse among young people during the past three years. It’s a serious health issue that can have harmful consequences and even claim the lives of those it ensnares. Yet drug abuse isn't a topic that is widely addressed in our society.

The session was conducted by the Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation, Vlacheslav Volodin, with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergei Lavrov; the Minister of Health Care of Russia, Veronika Skvortsova; the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia, Vladimir Kolokoltsev and the Executive Director of the United Nation Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yuri Fedatov.

Participants discussed steps to halt the distribution of illegal drugs, and the best international practices of rehabilitation and support for healthy living, especially of the younger generations; the possibility of international cooperation in drug legislation; measures to prevent drug use as well as the capability of medical treatment of drug dependent persons.

Participants were taken to rehabilitation centres on the outskirts of Moscow to see the work being done there. According to Ms Afridi, the Speaker’s response was very positive, and he promised to convey the message to his government. “I could see a clear and sincere commitment by the Russia Federation regarding the drug abuse problem; the reintegration of former drug addicts by restoring their dignity and giving them the opportunity to work in the same field to help others,” she said.

“I think we should take this opportunity to collaborate with Russians and make use of their successful programmes. We need the government and civil society to join hands in this great global challenge that is destroying our youth, our society and the prospect of a healthy and prosperous Pakistan.”