Theme

The 2019 World Drug Day theme is Health for Justice. Justice for Health.

Rationale

The theme highlights that justice and health are two sides of the same coin when it comes to addressing drug problems.

Effective responses to the world drug problem require inclusive and accountable institutions of criminal justice, health and social services to work hand in hand to provide integrated solutions, in line with the international drug control conventions, human rights obligations and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Messaging

The campaign emphasizes that a comprehensive approach to drug prevention and treatment needs to integrate questions of justice and health.

To make this idea more accessible, the campaign includes the following three sub-themes:

1. People getting the treatment they need

To give those who need treatment access to it, institutions of justice and health need to work closely together. This applies to supporting prevention and treatment services regarding drug use and HIV in communities and in prisons; to providing gender- and age-sensitive responses without stigma or discrimination; and to public health responses to drug use that enable effective alternatives to punishment and imprisonment in line with the international drug control conventions.

2. Connecting drug prevention, social inclusion and protection

Strengthening connectedness and communication in families, schools and communities can increase youth resilience and support rehabilitation and reintegration, thereby also helping to prevent crime and violence.

3. Building knowledge for justice and health

Evidence-based solutions and research and analysis are needed to understand the problem, inform decision makers, enable international cooperation and agree on solutions. The World Drug Report is a global resource that provides this kind of information for health and criminal justice responses to drugs.