CADCA Participates in 55th Session of United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria

Next week, CADCA will take part in a critical dialogue about finding a comprehensive and integrated approach to reducing drug demand, supply and trafficking at the 55th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria. The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which is composed of fifty-two member states (or countries), is the principal policy-making body within the UN system on drug control issues.

CADCA will take part in plenary and informal discussions, and will provide a briefing to delegates about the effectiveness of community anti-drug coalitions in reducing youth drug use and its associated problems, entitled “Evidence-Based Community Drug Prevention: Results of Community Coalitions from the Field.” In addition, CADCA Chairman and CEO Gen. Arthur T. Dean, who is leading the CADCA delegation at the UN meeting, will participate in a Commission on Narcotic Drugs Roundtable and a Civil Society Forum.

“I am honored to be joining such a distinct group of leaders at this important event. Throughout the week, we will be emphasizing the importance of the coalition multi-sector approach to solving community problems, such as illicit drug use. It is clear that many of member states represented at the Commission appreciate and understand the community anti-drug coalition strategy and CADCA looks forward to sharing and learning from our partners around the world,” said CADCA’s Gen. Dean. The United States is one of many member states attending this high level conference. The United States Delegation is headed by Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Accompanying CADCA’s Chairman and CEO are Dr. Eduardo Hernandez, CADCA’s Vice President of International Programs; Dr. Evelyn Yang, Deputy Director of Evaluation and Research, CADCA’s National Coalition Institute; Sue Thau, CADCA’s Public Policy Consultant; and Dr. Kevin Sabet, Consultant and Associate Professor at the University of Florida.

CADCA is currently involved in working with community groups in Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil, Perú, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, South Africa, Kenya and Tajikistan to help them build effective anti-drug coalitions. Later this year, CADCA will begin work in the Philippines, Ghana, Senegal, Cape Verde, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In addition, CADCA is one of a few U.S.-based non-government organizations (NGO) that have consultative status with the United Nations and is a member of the Vienna NGO Committee.