The EU adopts Action Plan for 2014-2020 to prevent drug spread in Central Asia

Representatives of the EU and five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) approved the EU Action Plan for 2014-2020 on Drug Spread Prevention in Central Asia.

As the head of the Kazakh delegation, chairman of the Committee on Narcotics and Drug Control under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan Anatoly Vyborov says, the main objectives of the EU Action Plan on Drug Spread Prevention in Central Asia are to reduce the traffic of drugs, primarily heroin from Afghanistan, as well as reduced drug addiction in the Central Asian countries.

According to Mr.Vyborov, during the talks in Brussels there were taken into consideration issues of strengthening cooperation, exchange of information, mutual overlapping the channels of drugs, as well as work on the drug in the countries of Central Asia. Considerable attention is paid to the problem of growing drug in the Chui valley of Kazakhstan, where large quantities of cannabis are growing. The European side has expressed concern about this issue, since about 30% of all young people in the EU are prone to drug use of cannabis.

In addition, during the meeting a lot of attention was paid to the appearance of the illegal market of new synthetic drugs.

"Almost all the representatives of the countries have reported a decline in heroin addiction. Against this background, there is another problem associated with synthetic drugs entering our illegal markets from the European countries and Russia. In connection with this new strategy and plans that have been worked out today, are aimed at the solution of all these problems", said Mr. Vyborov.

At the same time, the head of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee under the Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that in recent years the consumption of drugs in Kazakhstan has declined significantly. "Over the past three years there is a 19% decrease in the number of drug users. More than 30 % reduction in drug use is among minors. This is quite a positive trend", concluded Anatoly Vyborov.