United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

The youth is a particularly vulnerable group in Iran, where people under the age of 30 make more than sixty percent of the overall population

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the Islamic Republic of Iran launched a Training of Trainers (TOT) under the Families and Schools Together (FAST) Programme, which aims to advocate a scientific and evidence-based drug prevention programme, particularly for the families.

The TOT was launched on 9 November 2014 in Tehran in collaboration with the Drug Control Headquarters, the Ministry of Education, and the State Welfare Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the participation of 32 experts from the aforementioned organizations. The FAST Programme is being implemented at country level in the framework of the UNODC  Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries.

"Young people are at risk for substance abuse worldwide, as they are in a period of life subject to the influence of peers and role models who may be involved in the use of psychotropic substances", stated Mr. Leik Boonwaat, Representative of the UNODC Country Office in the Islamic Republic of Iran, in his address to the meeting. Youth are a particularly vulnerable group in Iran, where people under the age of 30 make more than sixty percent of the overall population. Serious concerns have been expressed by both national authorities and the United Nations about a growing trend of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) abuse in the country.

"Evidence-based drug prevention programmes are key components of medium/long-term successful drug control strategies", said Mr. Boonwaat. "Such programmes should be up-scaled as they work and are cost-effective: for every dollar spent, good programmes for prevention among youth can save up to ten dollars or even more if costs resulting from crime, unemployment and ill-health are counted", he added. Mr. Boonwaat commended drug prevention efforts led in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Drug Control Headquarters over the past years.

Mr. Leik Boonwaat, Representative of the UNODC Country Office in the Islamic Republic of Iran

UNODC activities in the field of drug demand reduction have been conducted over the last four years under the Country Programme thanks to the financial contribution of the Governments of Norway, Germany and Sweden. In close cooperation with the Drug Control Headquarters, UNODC has developed and piloted expert guidelines and training packages for specific use in communities, educational and prison settings, targeting high-risk groups.

The UNODC Iran drug prevention programme provides services to different walks of life: families, educational settings, high-risk groups, prisons and the workplace, with special emphasis on "at-risk" youth exposed to drugs. The Office's drug prevention projects also address all forms of drug abuse (e.g. ATS, Cannabis, and Opiates). National experts have been familiarized with international best practices in the area of prevention through UNODC technical assistance and cooperation.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Boonwaat called for more attention, resources and efforts in the field of drug prevention as necessary tools to effectively address the drug challenge. UNODC, with the necessary support of its international funding partners, could assist national efforts in the provision of scientific and evidence-based information, as well as the promotion of skills and opportunities to make healthy choices.