International Day Against Drug Abuse
and Illicit Trafficking
The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking serves to draw awareness to the need for action and cooperation in order to achieve a drug-free world. Illicit drugs and their trafficking pose a large health threat to humanity. Drug problems and dependencies put a great deal of pressure on health care systems and constitute a threat to the safety and well-being of humans all around the globe. On June 26, 2019, this will be observed all over the world. Let's all take a quick a look at some interesting facts about this global event.
A Symbolic Day
In December 1987, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was designated by the United Nations. It is celebrated annually on June 26, a symbolic day that commemorates the dismantling of the opium trade in Guangdong.
A Record Not Worth Remembering
More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, including illicit drugs and prescription opioid. That is the highest number of deaths from drug overdose ever.
An Expensive War
Approximately 51 billion dollars is spent on the war on drugs in the US every year.
Not Just the Users
Cocaine is the 7th most popular drug in the world after alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, caffeinated energy drinks, MDMA & Shisha Tobacco. Buying cocaine funds the exploitation of impoverished people, destroys and pollutes large areas of rainforest, forces people from their homes so coca can be grown on their land, and results in the murder of those who stand in the way of powerful crime groups. In fact, 164,000 people were murdered in 2007 and 2014 due to cocaine-related crime in Mexico alone.
Everyone is Affected
Cocaine is the 7th most popular drug in the world after alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, caffeinated energy drinks, MDMA & Shisha Tobacco. Buying cocaine funds the exploitation of impoverished people, destroys and pollutes large areas of rainforest, forces people from their homes so coca can be grown on their land, and results in the murder of those who stand in the way of powerful crime groups. In fact, 164,000 people were murdered in 2007 and 2014 due to cocaine-related crime in Mexico alone.
