International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking : Read recommandations of Cameroon Human Rights Commission

Theme of 37th International day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is : « The evidence is clear : invest in prevention »

The Commission commends the implementation by public authorities of the recommendations made to them in the previous Statement to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, in particular :

The National Strategic Plan for the Fight against Drugs (PSNLD) adopted in Ebolowa on 30 November 2023 at a workshop to finalise the matrix of priority actions and develop the implementation mechanism, organised by the National Committee for the Fight against Drugs (CNLD) from 27 to 30 November 2023 the workshop was attended by approximately 30 representatives from public administrative bodies, including the Prime Minister’s Office and the CHRC, as well as representatives from Civil society organisations. The objective was to implement new effective measures in the fight against drugs.

The Commission reiterates its recommendations made during the previous International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, in particular to :

The defence and security forces (including customs), to wage a more relentless war against the entry and exit, production and marketing of drugs in Cameroon, and greater synergy between their various structures, to better respond to the evergrowing threat of drug trafficking and organised crime the Ministries of Territorial Acbninistration and Trade, to propose that laws and regulations partly concerning the advertising of these illicit substances are tightened, so that they are systematically and compulsorily more explicit about the prohibition of these products the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family, to speed up the nationwide implementation of the positive parenting programme developed with the support of the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) the Ministries of Public Health, Social Affairs and Youth and Civic Education, to work towards the availability of holistic and appropriate care services for people, including children, suffering from dependency on psychotropic substances the Ministry of Public Health, to pay particular attention to the treatment of patients who use psychoactive substances for medical purposes, and do more to reduce the stigmatisation of drug addicts and discrimination against them. This is because drug addiction is a chronic pathology that needs to be treated in the same way as other illnesses o make appropriate treatment for drug addicts accessible to all, by increasing the number of treatment centres and reducing their cost.

Thé Commission recommends that the Ministries of Secondary Education, Basic Education, Women’s Empowerment and the Family, of Social Affairs, and of Youth and Civic education should intensify awareness-raising campaigns among young people, on the danger of drug use.

The Commission once again recommends that specialised institutions, development partners and civil society organisations (CSOs) step up their efforts to combat this scourge and stamp it out.

The Commission therefore requests any individual who has been affected by drug abuse or illicit trafficking, either as a victim or witness, to contact the relevant authorities free of charge. These include the Police on 117, and the Gendarmerie on 113. Furthermore, the Commission requests that any individual who has been subjected to or witnessed any human rights infringement and particularly one affecting their right to health and a healthy environment, to contact it, including via its toll-free number 1523.