DUSHANBE , June 26, Asia-Plus -- International community today marks an International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.  

According to information from the Ministry of Health, the main purpose of this event to attract attention of the public to problems of drug abuse and fight against drug trafficking.  The Republican Narcology Center says that at present some 8,000 residents of Tajikistan are estimated to be drug-depended. 

  In the meantime, according to information from the DCA, their officers have intercepted some 60 kilograms of drugs since the beginning of the year.  Besides, some 700 other kilograms of drugs have been seized in joint operations carried out by the DCA with the country’s law enforcement and power-wielding agencies.  According to official date provided by the Ministry of Health, at present there are 7,732 drug-depended people in Tajikistan .  

According to the source, the major part of drug users in Tajikistan is people aged 18 to 60.  Survey carried out among drug users has shown that during a year one drug user introduce to drug using from five to 20 people.

The Narcology Center head Mahmadrahim Malakhov noted that one of the main factors contributing to spread of drug using in the republic is accessibility of narcotics in the country.  

The Health Ministry press service says 372 people have been detained in Tajikistan since the beginning of the year for drug pushing.  Of them, 26 are women.  In 2005, the law enforcement officers detained 767 people, including 79 women, for drug pushing.  

 According to data provided by the Tajik Drug Control Agency, their officers have intercepted 495 kilograms of drugs over the first five months of this year.  The totaled included more than 209 kilograms of heroin.  Some 80 percent of drug-depended people in the republic uses heroin. 

We will recall that Tajikistan ’s Drug Control Agency conducted an antinarcotics action in the Park of Friendship of Peoples on June 24.  The event was dedicated to an International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.  The action included various activities such as quizzes, concerts and public awareness campaign.  

ABOUT: The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking is held every year on June 26.  It commemorates the signature of the Declaration adopted at the International Conference against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, 1987 .