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CICAD's MEM UNIT
PROMOTES
THE MECHANISM AND THE PROCESS
THROUGHOUT THE HEMISPHERE
CICAD has undertaken an aggressive, extensive campaign to raise awareness about the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) process among governments in member states and partners throughout the hemisphere. Their effort commenced following the presentation of 33 Third Evaluation Round national reports, and the Hemispheric Report to the General Assembly of the Organization of American States in June. The objective of the promotion visits is to enlighten all the actors involved in the drug problem about the value of actively engaging in the MEM process and using its reports in making decisions.
In August and September, MEM Unit specialists visited Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Guyana and Dominica. Their audience was government staff that work in the development and execution of national drug plans; those who work for regional and international organizations that develop projects and programs that address the drug problem; and government officials responsible for the collection and analysis of drug-related data, as well as those managing the execution of policy.
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Working Group of MEM Workshop in Dominica |
Complete article and activities in PDF and HTML
Statistics on First-time Users of OxyContin, LSD, or inhalants
A STRATEGY TO SOLVE A
PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM:
ADDICTIONS
Dr. Octavio Campollo
R.
Center of Alcoholism and Addictions Research
University of Guadalajara
Mexico
http://www.cucs.udg.mx/investigacion/calcohol/principal.htm
ocampoll@cucs.udg.mx
In many countries around the world, there is still debate about the role of research in national development. We describe a scientific network, the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse (NHSNDA) developed by the U.S. National Institute of Health aimed at studying, analyzing and solving a public health problem: addiction to drugs. Funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the U.S., its main aims are to increase research on drug abuse and increase and support the development of Hispanic scientists in the drug abuse field dedicated to improve the health of Hispanics in the U.S. Among its functions are organizing its membership, a directory, an annual meeting, and a summer institute, and establishing links with the mainstream activities of NIDA. Apart from the encouraging results in the drug addiction field, the strategy of using science and research to solve a health problem could be transferred to other areas of social or economic interest.
Summary in
PDF and HTML
(complete article only in Spanish)
COLOMBIA LAUNCHES ITS NATIONAL DRUG OBSERVATORY
Given the increase in the drug problem in Colombia, and the need to obtain knowledge and give comprehensive attention to the different manifestations of this problem, the government of Colombia created its Observatory on Drugs (ODC). The ODC responds to the national and international need for objective, reliable, comparable and up-to-date drug-related information.
The ODC enables the National Government, the National Council on Narcotics, and other institutions to formulate and adjust policies, plans, and strategies on intervention in the fight against drugs. It was established in April 2005 as the official source of information of the Colombian government in matters of the fight against drug trafficking and related crimes.
The ODC's goal is to consolidate relations among central and regional institutions that deal with drug-related matters. Its objective is to provide the national and international community with objective, reliable, up-to-date, and comparable information on the drug problem and related crimes, to permit the analysis of trends of the different aspects of the drug problem, and to contribute to the formulation and adjustment of policy, decision-making, design and evaluation of projects and programs.
For additional information on the ODC, please visit their Web page
ECUADOR ADOPTS
AMENDMENT TO LAW
THAT CONTROLS MONEY LAUNDERING
AND
APPROVES MONEY LAUNDERING AS AN AUTONOMOUS CRIME
In September, Ecuadorian legislators passed an amendment to the law that controls money laundering that establishes money laundering as an autonomous crime. Previously, to be charged for money laundering in Ecuador, the offender initially had to be charged with drug trafficking or other related crimes. With this amendment to the anti-money laundering law, offenders need not also be charged for a drug trafficking offense. Money laundering is now a crime of its own.
Mr. Rafael Franzini, Chief of CICAD's Anti-Money Laundering Unit was interviewed by Ecuador's El Comercio newspaper with respect to the crime of money laundering.
View complete interview by El Comercio to Mr. Franzini (PDF and HTML)
View note on the new law (only in Spanish)
NIDA InfoFacts:
LESSONS FROM PREVENTION RESEARCH
The principles listed below are the result of
long-term research studies on the origins of drug abuse behaviors and the
common elements of effective prevention programs. These principles were
developed to help prevention practitioners use the results of prevention
research to address drug use among children and adolescents in communities
across the country. Parents, educators, and community leaders can use these
principles to help guide their thinking, planning, selection, and delivery
of drug abuse prevention programs at the community level.
Prevention programs are generally designed for use in a particular setting,
such as at home, at school, or within the community, but can be adapted for
use in several settings. In addition, programs are also designed with the
intended audience in mind: for everyone in the population, for those at
greater risk, and for those already involved with drugs or other problem
behaviors. Some programs can be geared for more than one audience.
Top 10 principles for prevention programs (for complete list, view complete article):
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Principle 1 - Prevention programs should enhance protective factors and reverse or reduce risk factors.
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Principle 2 - Prevention programs should address all forms of drug abuse, alone or in combination.
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Principle 3 - Prevention programs should address the type of drug abuse problem in the local community, target modifiable risk factors, and strengthen identified protective factors.
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Principle 4 - Prevention programs should be tailored to address risks specific to population or audience characteristics, such as age, gender, and ethnicity, to improve program effectiveness.
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Principle 5 - Family-based prevention programs should enhance family bonding and relationships and include parenting skills; practice in developing, discussing, and enforcing family policies on substance abuse; and training in drug education and information.
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Principle 6 - Prevention programs can be designed to intervene as early as preschool to address risk factors for drug abuse, such as aggressive behavior, poor social skills, and academic difficulties.
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Principle 7 - Prevention programs for elementary school children should target improving academic and social-emotional learning to address risk factors for drug abuse, such as early aggression, academic failure, and school dropout.
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Principle 8 - Prevention programs for middle or junior high and high school students should increase academic and social competence with the following skills
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Principle 9 - Prevention programs aimed at general populations at key transition points, such as the transition to middle school, can produce beneficial effects even among high-risk families and children. Such interventions do not single out risk populations and, therefore, reduce labeling and promote bonding to school and community.
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Principle 10 - Community prevention programs that combine two or more effective programs, such as family-based and school-based programs, can be more effective than a single program alone.
Visit Web Page for complete article
WERE FIRST-TIME USERS
CESAR FAX
September 12, 2005 -- Vol. 14, Issue 37
Center of
Substance Abuse Research
University of Maryland, College Park
While less than one percent of persons living in the United States had used OxyContin, LSD, or inhalants in the past year, more than one-third of these users were first-time users, according to data released last week from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). More than 25% of persons who used sedatives, ecstasy, heroin, or stimulants in the past year had used the drug for the first time. As would be expected, first-time users comprised a very small percentage of the past year users of the most commonly used drugs, such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Although the estimated total number of users of many of these drugs is relatively small, a high rate of new use among past year users could precede a rise in use. According to the report, “Measures of initiation are often leading indicators of emerging patterns of substance use. They provide valuable information that can be used in the assessment of the effectiveness of current prevention programs and in determining where prevention efforts need to focus”
View complete article in PDF
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Demand Reduction Unit News:
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The Demand Reduction Expert Group met in Ottawa, Canada on September 13-15. During this meeting the experts discussed issues in the evaluation of youth substance abuse prevention programs and considered model frameworks and indicators for such evaluations.
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The Demand Reduction Unit has been working on several workshops in Central American countries to establish Minimum Standards of Care.
Note of workshop and pictures from EL SALVADOR. -
In August Paraguay published the second, revised and adjusted, edition of the minimum standards of quality of care to people with problems of substance abuse. The objective of this document is to facilitate quality access to the care of substance abusers and their families. This document was prepared by representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as representatives from the civil society. You can find the document in the following link:
http://www.cicad.oas.org/Reduccion_Demanda/ENG/DRprojects/Normas/standardsmain.asp
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MEM Unit News:
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CICAD's Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism Unit (MEM Unit) hosted on October 3-7 a preparatory meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG), chaired by Canada, to discuss issues on the MEM process, the improvement of the questionnaire of indicators, and other technical matters. The IWG meeting will take place in Ottawa, Canada in February 2006.
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The MEM Unit will also be hosting a Governmental Experts Group Meeting on November 14-18 to draft the reports on the implementation of recommendations.
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Mr. James Mack, CICAD's Executive Secretary, visited Ecuador to support the presentation of Ecuador's Third Evaluation Round MEM report to government authorities in August. For complete information on the visit, please visit the following link.
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Supply Reduction Unit news:
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CICAD's Group of Experts on Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals met in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on August 22-26. During this meeting, the experts finalized the priority recommendations from the final report of the previous experts meeting (held in Brasilia on June 2004). For reference, view Final Report of Group of Experts on Pharmaceuticals (2004), and Final Report of Group of Experts on Chemical Substances (2004).
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A Symposium on Border Management: A Dialogue on Cross Border Cooperation and Border Integrity was hosted by CICAD, OAS's Inter-American Committee on Terrorism (CICTE), the Government of Canada, and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. Final Report of the meeting.
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The Expert Group on Maritime Narcotrafficking will meet in Mexico City on October 25-27.
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The thirty-eighth regular session of CICAD will take place in Washington, D.C., at the headquarters of the Organization of American States, December 6-9.
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The Fourth Summit of the Americas will take place November 4-5 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. The theme of the Summit is "Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance." For additional information on the Summit of the Americas, please visit the following links:
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II Summit of the Americas in Santiago de Chile: Declaration and Plan of Action
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III Summit of the Americas in Quebec, Canada: drug-related topics
This quarterly newsletter is published electronically and circulated to encourage discussion and comment. The findings, interpretations, judgments, and conclusions expressed in this newsletter are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to CICAD/OAS.