CADCA Chairman & CEO To Discuss Community Coalition Model at World Forum Against Drugs In Stockholm

CADCA Chairman and CEO, Gen. Arthur T. Dean, will discuss the importance of community-based strategies to reduce substance abuse at the 2nd Annual World Forum Against Drugs in Stockholm, Sweden May 24-25.

The Forum is a meeting place for people from all continents who are working to prevent abuse of illicit drugs at grassroots level, on a voluntary basis, professionally or as policy makers. The global Forum is the only one of its kind where NGOs, self-help groups, treatment centers, scholars, local, regional and national authorities, politicians and other decision-makers, the business community, and others from around the world will meet to share ideas and experiences about the work against illicit drugs, based on a restrictive and balanced policy.

Gen. Dean will be speaking along with other distinguished speakers like R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime; and an impressive array of health advocates, educators and policy makers from anti-drug governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations from almost every continent.

“I am honored to speak at the World Forum Against Drugs,” Gen. Dean said. “I hope our proven methods of equipping prevention leaders in non-governmental organizations with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to build effective coalitions can be adapted by our friends around the world so that their communities can be strengthened. We also hope to take back new ideas and strategies to help U.S. communities tackle their drug-related problems.”

One of the focuses of the meeting is Africa, where the abuse of drugs and the illegal drug trade is an obstacle for African development, peace and political stability. CADCA’s International Program is collaborating with community residents in the Cape Town area of South Africa to identify and solve the alcohol and drug problems by developing and training community coalitions. CADCA’s Dr. Eduardo Hernández Alarcón, Vice President for International Programs, has participated in recent South African trainings and will also accompany Gen. Dean to Sweden’s World Forum Against Drugs, where he will speak about CADCA’s international work.

In addition to training programs in South Africa, CADCA works in several Latin American countries including, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. CADCA provides training in foreign countries with resources provided by the U.S Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. In addition, CADCA is a non-governmental organization that has special consultative status with the United Nations.