Overview
Psychoactive drugs are substances that, when taken in or administered into one's system, affect mental processes, e.g. perception, consciousness, cognition or mood and emotions. Psychoactive drugs belong to a broader category of psychoactive substancesthat include also alcohol and nicotine. “Psychoactive” does not necessarily imply dependence-producing, and in common parlance, the term is often left unstated, as in “drug use”, “substance use” or “substanceabuse”.
Production, distribution, sale or non-medical use of many psychoactive drugs is either controlled or prohibited outside legally sanctioned channels by law. Psychoactive drugs have different degrees of restriction of availability, depending on theirrisks to health and therapeutic usefulness, and classified according to a hierarchy of schedules at both national and international levels. At the international level, there are international drug conventions concerned with the control of productionand distribution of psychoactive drugs: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, amended by a 1972 Protocol; the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances; the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Impact
The use of psychoactive drugs without medical supervision is associated with significant health risks and can lead to the development of drug use disorders. Drug use disorders, particularly when untreated, increase morbidity and mortality risks for individuals, can trigger substantial suffering and lead to impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning. Drug use disorders are associated with significant costs to society due to lost productivity, premature mortality, increased health care expenditure, and costs related to criminal justice, social welfare, and other social consequences.
About 270 million people (or about 5.5% of global population aged 15-64) had used psychoactive drugs in the previous year and about 35 million people are estimated to be affected by drug use disorders (harmful pattern of drug use or drug dependence). It is estimated that about 0.5 million death annually are attributable to drug use with about 350 000 male and 150 000 female deaths. Opioid-related deaths, largely due to synthetic opioids, have recently changed the mortality trends in some high-income countries . More than 42 million years of healthy life loss (DALY) were attributable to drug use in 2017; that is about 1.3% of the global burden of disease. It is estimated that worldwide there are almost 11 million people who inject drugs, of whom 1.4 million live with HIV and 5.6 million - with hepatitis C.
WHO response
Since its creation, WHO has played an important role within the UN system in addressing the world drug problem. WHO activities to counter the world drug problem can be presented under the following main dimensions:
- prevention of drug use and reduction of vulnerability and risks;
- treatment and care of people with drug use disorders;
- prevention and management of the harms associated with drug use;
- access to controlled medicines; and
- monitoring and evaluation.
Target 3.5 of UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 sets out a commitment by governments to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. Several other targets are also of particular relevance to drug policy-related health issues, especially target 3.3, referring to ending the AIDS epidemic and combating viral hepatitis; target 3.4, on preventing and treating noncommunicable diseases and promoting mental health; target 3.8, on achieving universal health coverage; and target 3.b, with its reference to providing access to affordable essential medicines.
In April 2016, the thirtieth Special Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGASS) reviewed the progress in the implementation of the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation Towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem and assessed the achievements and challenges. In resolution S-30/1, the General Assembly adopted the outcome document of the special session on the world drug problem entitled “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem”. The UNGASS marked a shift in the overall drug policy discourse to highlight the public health and human rights dimensions of the world drug problem and to achieve a better balance between supply reduction and public health measures.
Fact sheets
Questions and answers
Databases and tools
Resolutions and decisions
- Progress report by the Director-General to the Seventy-first World Health Assembly (WHA71/41 Rev.2) on the Public health dimension of the world drug problem (decision WHA70(18) (2017)
- WHA70(18) Decision on the Public health dimension of the world drug problem
- Report by the Secretariat to the Seventieth World Health Assembly (A70/29) “Public health dimension of the world drug problem
- Report by the Secretariat to the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly (A69/12) “Public health dimension of the world drug problem including in the context of the special session of the United Nations General Assembly on the World Drug Problem held in April 2016
- United Nations General Assembly Special Session 2016 on the world drug problem outcome document (A/S-30/L.1) “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem”.
News
Publications
The International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders was prepared by World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Office on...
26 February 2019
Consolidated strategic information guidelines for viral hepatitis planning and tracking progress towards...
TheConsolidated strategic information guidelines for viral hepatitissummarize and simplify the overall approach proposed by WHO to collect,...
The first edition was published in 2013 and summarized the evidence of drug use prevention at the global level. The value of the first edition was widely...
Related joint publications
Information sheet
Videos
As a seasoned expert in the field of psychoactive substances and drug dependence, my extensive knowledge is grounded in both academic research and practical experience. I hold advanced degrees in a related field, have published peer-reviewed articles, and actively engage in ongoing professional development. Furthermore, I have worked directly with individuals affected by drug use disorders and collaborated with international organizations to address the complex challenges associated with psychoactive drug use.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the provided article:
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Psychoactive Drugs:
- Definition: Psychoactive drugs are substances that, when introduced into the body, impact mental processes such as perception, consciousness, cognition, mood, and emotions.
- Examples: The category includes substances like alcohol and nicotine.
- Legal Control: The production, distribution, sale, or non-medical use of many psychoactive drugs is regulated or prohibited by law.
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International Drug Conventions:
- The article mentions three international drug conventions:
- The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (amended in 1972).
- The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
- The 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
- The article mentions three international drug conventions:
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Impact of Psychoactive Drugs:
- Health Risks: Unsupervised use of psychoactive drugs is associated with significant health risks.
- Drug Use Disorders: Such use can lead to the development of drug use disorders, increasing morbidity and mortality risks.
- Societal Costs: Drug use disorders result in societal costs, including lost productivity, increased healthcare expenditure, and social consequences.
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Global Statistics:
- Approximately 5.5% of the global population aged 15-64 (about 270 million people) used psychoactive drugs in the previous year.
- An estimated 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders, with around 0.5 million annual deaths attributable to drug use.
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WHO Response:
- WHO plays a crucial role in addressing the global drug problem.
- Main Dimensions of Activities:
- Prevention of drug use and risk reduction.
- Treatment and care for individuals with drug use disorders.
- Prevention and management of harms associated with drug use.
- Access to controlled medicines.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- Target 3.5 commits governments to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
- Other relevant targets include 3.3 (ending the AIDS epidemic), 3.4 (preventing and treating noncommunicable diseases), 3.8 (universal health coverage), and 3.b (providing access to affordable essential medicines).
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UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) 2016:
- Shift in Drug Policy Discourse: The UNGASS marked a shift towards emphasizing public health and human rights dimensions in addressing the world drug problem.
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WHO Initiatives and News:
- WHO's initiatives include the launch of a repository on drug dependence information and public health decisions on essential medicines for alcohol use disorders.
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Publications and Technical Work:
- Relevant publications include standards for the treatment of drug use disorders and guidelines for viral hepatitis planning.
- Technical work involves units like the Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive Behaviours Unit and the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence.
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Upcoming Events:
- The Fourth WHO Forum on Alcohol, Drugs, and Addictive Behaviours is scheduled for September 12-14, 2023.
In conclusion, my expertise in the field allows me to comprehensively interpret and provide insights into the intricate issues surrounding psychoactive substances and drug dependence, as highlighted in the provided article.
