Substance Abuse

ECOSOC: World Health Organization

Topic: Substance Abuse

Modern globalization has revolutionized the world significantly, with all parts of the world being able to interact with each other politically, culturally and principally, economically. However, in addition to the establishment of a global market of sanctioned goods, another was born, one of illicit goods. One of the most lucrative of these goods being drugs. Since then, the trade and consumption of such substances has skyrocketed. According to the World Drug Report, 292 million people used a drug in 2022, a 20% increase from the previous decade, and nearly 40 million people are affected by a drug use disorder. Furthermore, about 600,000 deaths a year are attributed to drug use, roughly two-thirds of whom are male. Aside from the dangers of the substances themselves, injected substances pose secondary dangers such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and hepatitis C, which infect 15.2% and 38.8% of injection users, respectively.

Repeat substance use very often leads to the development of Substance Use Disorder, the spread of bloodborne pathogens like HIV and Hepatitis C as well as drug overdose. Overdose alone accounts for around a quarter of all drug-related deaths annually. Though there are other drugs out there that prevent death from overdose such as naloxone, access to it is generally limited to health professionals, and even then mostly in developed nations. In the most developed nations, life-saving drugs like naloxone are even available over-the-counter. However, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly target 3.5 of Goal three, call on all governments to strengthen treatment options for substance abuse, not just those of developed nations.   The increase in substance abuse and its ramifications affect all nations, therefore immediate action is essential to prevent the issue from further sliding out of control.

Various approaches have been taken in the international community with regards to the issue of Substance Abuse. Some nations focus on harm reduction approaches by minimizing the risk associated with drugs, such as lacing, overdose, and disease transmission while trying to help the user to become sober. The World Health Organization must consider these methods and focus on the health impact of each one.

Focus Questions:

1. How should this committee prevent and manage the harms associated with drug use both legal and illegal?
2. What can the WHO do to provide treatment and care to those with drug use disorders?
3. How can the committee monitor and evaluate the progress of our initiatives going forward?

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