The following resolution was adopted at the closing ceremony of the 17th Congress of Addiction, hosted by Centros de Integración de Juvenil and World Federation Against Drugs.  

1. Nowadays, the participation of the organized civil society is strategic to frame broad impact public policies that favor global wellbeing.

2. Our children and youth have the right to grow up in a drug-free environment, where they can achieve their full potential.

3. We defend the Article 33 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child to protect childhood from drug-abuse:

“States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.”

4. Drug-abuse is a global problem that harms millions and unbalance families, the foundation of sound communities and nations. Civil society has the right to rely on itself and its government work for a drug-free environment

5. The essence of drug policies should be health safeguarding and to contribute to the development of safe community environments, impervious to illegal drug supply.

6. Social development, democratic improvement, and equality should be the basis of far-reaching policies in terms of its effects and permanency.

On road to UNGASS 2016, we declare our commitment to:

Discuss the current drug-audit global system while affirming the key objectives of international conventions.

Drive scientific debates in relation to drugs, where the main objective is to preserve community health, and particularly that of children and youth, the most-at-risk population.

Foster in every country the respect for human rights for users and non-users alike, as well as the right to health and social insertion.

Avoid stigmatization of substance users. Instead, strengthen their way back to society.

Favor in each legislation laws made to ponder the proportionality in sentencing for drug possession.

Settle options of alternative justice to support the social reintegration of people that have committed drug crimes.

Have influence upon the governments so that they strengthen civil programs focused on prevention, treatment and social reintegration, as well as on the training of professionals that deal with its assistance and study. 3

Close the existent budget gaps between the programs oriented to fight drug supply and those directed to drug demand reduction.

Raise governments, civil society and community’s awareness of the fact that accessibility to work, education, culture, and amusement are the best basis against drug consumption and trafficking.

Inform governments, civil society, mass media, social media and community about the risks of legalizing drugs.

For all of the above reasons, it is thus essential to set up a new institutional network, where the same principles are shared, working to counter legalization of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and whose main objective is to gain a greater impact, continental in scope, and favoring social welfare and that of childhood and youth particularly.

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