Last week, CADCA joined leaders from more than 50 countries in discussing the importance of maintaining the UN drug conventions that have informed national laws for the past 50 years at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) in New York.
The centerpiece of UNGASS was the adoption of an outcome document meant to reposition drug policy that was drafted last month at the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, which CADCA also attended. CADCA is one of a few U.S.-based non-government organizations (NGO) that have consultative status with the UN and is a member of the Vienna NGO Committee.
“CADCA was honored to join such a distinct group of leaders at this important event. Throughout the week, we stressed the importance of a community-based approach to preventing and reducing illicit drug use,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA Chairman and CEO.
A highlight of the week was one of our Brazilian members, Eliane Prado Marcondes, who had the opportunity to address the civil society group on Thursday about the effectiveness of coalitions.
In addition, CADCA is a partner with the Prevent. Don’t Promote. campaign, which is sponsored by numerous organizations that support the UN international drug conventions. You can read their April 2016 report, summarizing the global drug problem.
CADCA’s delegation included CADCA’s Gen. Arthur T. Dean; Eric Siervo, CADCA’s Vice President of International Programs; Sue Thau, CADCA’s Public Policy Consultant; and Irina Broughton, CADCA’s Senior Training Associate for its International Programs.
CADCA currently works with countries in five continents, helping them form community coalitions to address their local substance abuse problems.
