The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

International Day against drug abuse and the

illegal drug trade The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs throug ...

. It is observed annually on 26 June, since 1989. The date June 26 is to commemorate

Lin Zexu Lin Zexu (30 August 1785 – 22 November 1850), courtesy name Yuanfu, was a Chinese political philosopher and politician. He was the head of states (Viceroy), Governor General, scholar-official, and under the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing dynas ...

's dismantling of the opium trade in

Humen The Humen, also Bocca Tigris or Bogue, is a narrow strait in the Pearl River Delta that separates Shiziyang in the north and Lingdingyang in the south near Humen Town in China's Guangdong Province. It is the site of the Pearl River's discharge ...

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

, ending on June 25, 1839，just before the First Opium War in China. The observance was instituted by

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presb ...

Resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987. On 26 June 1987, two important texts (''Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control & Declaration of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking'') were adopted at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which was held in Vienna during 17–26 June 1987. The Conference recommended that an annual day should be observed to mark the importance of the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Both the dates 17 June and 26 June were suggested, and in the later meetings 26 June was chosen and written into the draft and final resolution.Report of the Secretary-General, International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
/ref> It is often referred to by Anti-Drug campaigners as 6/26. A play on Marijuana smokers "4/20" day to celebrate cannabis. The UN's 2007

World Drug Report The World Drug Report is a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime annual publication that analyzes market trends, compiling detailed statistics on drug markets. Using data, it helps draw conclusions about drugs as an issue needing intervention by ...

World Drug Report 2007
/ref> puts the value of the illegal drug trade at US$322 billion a year.UN Report: Global Drug Abuse Under Control
Campaigns, rallies, poster designing and many other programs are conducted. People of different countries celebrate the day together. As drug use increases, the day becomes more important. ‘Health for Justice. Justice for Health’, the theme for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2019, highlights that “justice and health are two sides of the same coin when it comes to addressing drug problems.”

"Support. Don't punish." campaign

Since 2013, a campaign called "Support. Don't punish" has been associated with the 26 June. Coordinated by the

International Drug Policy Consortium The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of over 192 NGOs that promote objective and open debate on drug policy at national, regional and international level. IDPC supports evidence-based policies that are effective a ...

, it demands that approaches to

drug policy A drug policy is the policy regarding the control and regulation of psychoactive substances (commonly referred to as drugs), particularly those that are addictive or cause physical and mental dependence. While drug policies are generally implemen ...

be focused on health, human rights, and the end of the criminalization of people who use drugs.Jamaican Elected Chair of International Drug Policy Consortium
''Jamaican Observer''

References

External links

UN homepage for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
* German Lopez
"The violent history of International Anti-Drug Day"
Vox, 26 June 2014.

Drug policy United Nations days June observances {{UN-stub