Lithuania, candidate to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) that acts as a governing body of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and monitors political commitments on drug control. Elections for membership in the CND for the period 2022-2025 will take place on 20 April 2021.

Lithuania is a country where:

• comprehensive and horizontal policy that encompasses drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use disorders has been developed. Our experience with shifting policy reaffirmed our belief in the utmost importance of protecting vulnerable groups, and we are determined to work together with all member states and other relevant stakeholders to ensure a better and dignified life for all.
• evidence-based prevention of substance abuse focuses on the contextual, environmental, and varied needs of target groups as well as on the development and protection of a healthy and safe society. Much attention is anticipated for the implementation of the European Drug Prevention Quality Standards, which is linked to the effectiveness of prevention in real-life practice.
• an early intervention programme with special attention to vulnerable groups is nationally applied: modern, destigmatized, and motivating interventions are mainly directed toward young people; social rehabilitation communities are available, including for parents with children.
• a take-home naloxone programme has been developed. Changing views and implementation of this program brought an added value – decreased drug-related deaths by 55 % since 2015. It took time to build a holistic approach to a non-repressive drug policy, but with great confidence we are following the United Nations and the EU-based international policy on human rights priorities, where drug use is seen as a public health issue that cannot be addressed by criminal law.
• effective cross-sectoral cooperation, for example in the field of implementation of targeted harm-reduction measures in festivals and nightlife settings (BeSafeLab) is encouraged and promoted.
• pro-active monitoring tools for drug precursors and designer precursors are developed.
• decisions on rapid response to new psychoactive substance threats resulted in low level of supply and demand of new psychoactive substances.
• innovative monitoring methods (wastewater analysis; syringe residue analysis; web survey; hospital emergencies data on acute drug-related harms) are applied and provide insight on emerging trends.

Lithuania found itself at a significant crossroads while evolving its own national drug policy. Now it stands firm to support and promote evidence-based policy with a balanced and human-centred approach, which can change the world drug situation and which is fully in line with operational recommendations, provided in UNGASS 2016 Outcome Document and the policies and priorities of the European Union and its Member States.

Therefore, Lithuania decided to present its candidature to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for the term 2022-2025.

A healthier and safer world – that’s our goal!

More information:

- Brochure on Lithuania’s candidacy for membership of the CND for 2022-2025 

- National strategy of Lithuania on drugs: National Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control and Use Prevention Programme 2018-2028 

- Video on Lithuania’s candidacy for membership of the CND for 2022-2025: