Every year on April 7th, World Health Day is commemorated to raise awareness on important health topics of concern to people all over the world. This year, its 75th anniversary is also simultaneously being celebrated under the theme of "Health for All", envisioning all people to have good health for a fulfilling life in a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. For this to realize, individuals and communities should have access to quality health services to enable them to take care of their own and their families’ health.
Under the common goal for Member States and international organizations in achieving Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, ‘Ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’, Target 3.5 was pledged to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance use. Substance use constitutes a major public health problem globally, and is associated not only with negative health consequences, but also negative impacts on the development of young people and can compromise their educational paths, work lives and contribution to society. Addressing the world drug problem also requires a balanced, health-centred approach, with a view to prevent substance use so that children and youth grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age, and treatment opportunities are available and accessible for people with drug use disorders.
With evidence-based strategies appropriately contextualized to the target settings, substance use and its negative consequences can be prevented. And often, the most important risk and protective factors influencing substance use are specific to a certain developmental stage. The UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention provides strategies that have been found to be effective in preventing substance use, according to the different stages of life. Prevention efforts can be strengthened by involving youth at the different stages of programme planning, implementation and evaluation, as well by engaging with and empowering youth in the context of creating change at the policy level. By investing in youth development, promoting positive social norms, and providing learning opportunities, youth gain knowledge and skills to help them grow and develop healthily, and become contributing members to their societies. And these empowered youth can mentor other youths, support prevention efforts in the communities, and promote healthier and more empowered lives, for themselves and their peers. For inspirations and guidance on how to better engage youth in drug prevention efforts, please refer to the Handbook on Youth Participation in Drug Prevention Work. Invest in strong health systems and support youth through active engagement and provision of experiential learning opportunities!
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