Today, WFAD commemorates the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Under this year’s theme, “World drug problem: persisting issues, new challenges, innovative responses,” we recognise both the longstanding challenges affecting individuals, families, and communities and the need for renewed commitment, cooperation, and innovation to address the evolving global drug situation.

Despite ongoing efforts, substance use continues to rise globally, outpacing population growth, while many people still face barriers to accessing prevention, treatment, and recovery support. Co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders remain under-recognised and under-treated, highlighting the importance of responses that consider the full context of people’s lives. Women may face additional barriers to accessing support, including stigma, caregiving responsibilities, and the limited availability of gender-responsive services. Persistent stigma and discrimination continue to discourage many people from seeking help, reinforcing the need for compassionate, person-centred, and evidence-informed approaches that meet people where they are.

At the same time, the drug landscape continues to evolve. The emergence of increasingly potent synthetic substances, the growing prevalence of poly-substance use, and rapidly changing drug markets present new challenges for prevention, treatment, and public health. New substances often appear faster than monitoring systems, regulations, and health services can respond, requiring stronger international cooperation, effective early warning systems, and evidence-informed policymaking.

Digital platforms have also become an increasingly important part of today’s drug landscape. They can facilitate drug promotion, misinformation, recruitment, and access to illicit substances, particularly among young people. At the same time, these platforms offer valuable opportunities to strengthen prevention by sharing evidence-based information, promoting positive peer influence, improving digital outreach, and making pathways to treatment, recovery, and support more visible and accessible. Harnessing these opportunities while reducing online harms should be a shared priority.

For WFAD, innovative responses build on what works while adapting to new realities. Prevention, treatment, recovery, and community action must remain at the centre of drug policy. Addressing today’s challenges requires coordinated responses across prevention, health, education, social services, justice, civil society, and communities, while ensuring that services are trauma-informed, gender-sensitive, culturally responsive, and grounded in dignity and respect.

Investing in evidence-informed prevention remains one of the most effective ways to reduce vulnerabilities before problems emerge. This means supporting children, young people, families, schools, and communities to strengthen protective factors and build resilience. It also means ensuring access to quality, person-centred treatment and long-term recovery support that recognises the diverse experiences and needs of individuals.

Innovation is not only about new technologies or new interventions. It is also about recognising the value of partnership and participation. Young people, alongside people with lived and living experience, families, recovery communities, and civil society organisations, should be meaningfully involved in shaping policies, programmes, prevention initiatives, awareness campaigns, and national responses. Their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences contribute to more relevant, effective, and sustainable solutions.

Civil society continues to play an essential role in this work. Across the world, community organisations provide prevention initiatives, treatment and recovery support, advocacy, education, family support, and local partnerships that strengthen communities. Their contribution should be recognised, supported, and included as an integral part of national and international drug policies.

On this World Drug Day, WFAD calls for renewed commitment to prevention, treatment, recovery, and community action. Addressing today’s drug challenges requires coordinated, evidence-informed, and people-centred responses that protect health and individuals and strengthen communities. By working together with governments, civil society, families, young people, and people with lived and living experience, we can respond to persisting issues, address new challenges, and build healthier, safer, and more resilient communities.