Topic: 2024-Substance Abuse
Country: Albania
Delegate Name: Rayyan Abu Azine
Substance abuse refers to the harmful or excessive use of drugs or alcohol. Some of the most catastrophic substances include opioids, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine, and nicotine. The use of these substances result in a negative impact on the individual and society. Most of these substances were intended for medical use or social use, but the misuse of these products leads to harmful long-term effects, which can inflict damage physically to the individual or can be mentally taxing (like increased anxiety or more severe depression). The effects on society include strained social relations and increased risk of accidents, crimes, and overdoses. There have been international efforts to combat this problem. Some of the older examples of drug control and medical availability include the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1993 World Health Organization guidelines.
Albania in recent years has contributed efforts to combat substance abuse. Since 2000, Albania has had an incentive for community and rehabilitation initiatives. These establishments focus on the rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics, as well as targeting the youth for prevention. Other efforts include cooperation internationally with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) on drug crackdowns.
Albania raises concerns about the increasing prevalence and availability of these drugs and the societal impacts, primarily on the most vulnerable underdeveloped and underfunded countries. Albania primarily wants to focus on accountability for individuals and corporations on the distribution and trafficking of these substances. Albania would like to collaborate with the EU and the UN for assistance with resources and standardization.
In this committee, Albania advises the World Health Organization to implement further restrictions on their already established guidelines and enhance their policies. Albania is advocating for increased collaboration between countries and capacity building for effective use against substance abuse. Albania also promotes the advocacy for greater and more improved education and awareness through public education and outreach, specifically to be taught in schools to prevent further negative effects in the future. Albania looks forward to working with neighboring countries and foreign delegations to resolve substance abuse.
Works Cited:
Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2024 Country Report — Albania. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2024. Accessed 20 November 2024
“Helping to prevent drug abuse in Albania.” Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe | OSCE, 16 August 2004, https://www.osce.org/albania/57538. Accessed 20 November 2024
“Substance Abuse.” Approaches to Treatment of Substance Abuse, 3 November 1993, https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/substance-use/who-psa-93-10.pdf. Accessed 20 November 2024.
United Nations. “United Nations Conference for the Adoption of a Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 24 January – 25 March 1961, New York.” United Nations, United Nations, 2015, https://www.un.org/en/conferences/drug/newyork1961#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20Conference%20for,consumption%20through%20coordinated%20international%20intervention. Accessed 20 November 2024.
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