Search

The global gap in the treatment of drug use disorders continues to be widened, with only one in twelve people having access. Despite clear evidence that effective treatment for drug use disorders is both life-saving and cost-effective, the availability and quality remain limited worldwide.

The issue of psychoactive substance misuse remains a serious public health challenge globally and nationally. In Indonesia, 1.73% of the population—or approximately 3,337,000 individuals aged 15 to 64—reported substance use within the past year (Indonesia Drug Report 2024). Of those, only 5,878 accessed rehabilitation services facilitated by the National Narcotics Agency, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and affiliated community organizations.

The problem of people with substance use disorders has become a global issue that requires immediate, multidimensional action.. Indonesia also experienced a similar situation, with the prevalence of drug abuse in 2023 reaching 1.73%. A comprehensive rehabilitation strategy aims to restore people with substance use disorders and improve their recovery and quality of life.

Indonesia is currently in a demographic bonus period, where the majority of the population is of productive age. This window expected to peak by 2030 oKers a historic opportunity for national advancement. However, realizing this potential depends heavily on the capacity of the younger generation to stay healthy, productive, and free from the threat of drug abuse.

Adolescents and young adults constitute a large proportion of the population in sub-Saharan Africa but face high levels of disability and mortality. This is influenced by unhealthy substance use, largely with friends, in a predominantly gender normative environment where poverty is widespread.

As the global landscape of substance use continues to evolve—with the rise of polysubstance misuse, increasing commercialization of addictive products, and persistent behavioral health inequities—there is an urgent need to innovate, integrate, and sustain effective prevention approaches.

Drug-related crime remains a major challenge for many countries, including Indonesia. The concept of reducing drug-related crime refers to efforts aimed at lowering crime rates that are directly or indirectly triggered by the abuse and trafficking of narcotics. This approach not only emphasizes law enforcement against drug dealers and criminal syndicates, but also includes preventive strategies, user rehabilitation, disruption of criminal networks, and community-based interventions.

Community-Based Corrections (CBC) is an effective alternative to imprisonment, especially for minor offenders. This approach provides minor offenders with a valuable opportunity to amend their criminal behavior within the community, thereby reducing stigma and marginalization while sidestepping the often punitive nature of incarceration.

Geographically, Indonesian archipelago is vulnerable to illicit drug trafficking as it is located at a very strategic location, that is the intersection of two oceans and two continents, lays on a trading route with a very high traffic of people and goods.

ACT NOW!!! is a community drug prevention initiative rooted in an asset mapping exercise that serves as a foundation for identifying effective intervention strategies. The presentation emphasizes leveraging insights gained from this mapping to form a coalition dedicated to executing four intervention programs

The increasing challenge of drug abuse necessitates innovative strategies for effective prevention. The ALAB-BBM program introduces a dynamic anti-drug mechanism aimed at developing community-based prevention programs for children of persons who use drugs (PWUDs). This approach combines data-driven decision-making, community engagement, and adaptive interventions to create sustainable impacts.

Youth leadership plays a pivotal role in driving significant social, environmental, and political change. This presentation explores the youth leadership model adopted by the Fourth Wave Foundation, which over the past two decades has mobilised thousands of young individuals to be catalysts of change through collaborative, community-focused initiatives, including those specifically aimed at substance use prevention.

Indonesia faces a persistent and complex challenge from drug abuse and illicit trafficking, a situation the government has declared a national emergency. The archipelagic nation's unique geography and socio-economic dynamics contribute significantly to its vulnerability, making it a critical focus for comprehensive intervention strategies.

Substance use, including cannabis (known locally as marijuana/dagga) use, remains a major global public health concern. Cannabis use among adolescents is associated with significant harms associated with physical health, neurophysiological development, mental health, traffic injuries and violence.

Talking Points: Learn about the connection between drug use and crime. Identify key legal distinctions that (should) drive justice responses. Understand how applying the appropriate approach reduces crime.

Every year, over 6 million persons globally are in contact with the criminal justice system for drug-related offences. Significant increases in prison populations worldwide are largely caused by the arrest and incarceration of persons whose crimes are related to drug use. 

Indonesia confronts significant challenges from widespread drug abuse, impacting public health and leading to high incarceration rates. As of July 2025, the National Narcotics Board (BNN) reports 3.3 million narcotics addicts, with over 147,000 drug offenders constituting 53% of the Indonesian prison population.

This presentation will explore how culturally adaptable, evidence-based prevention programs rooted in school and family setting can be scaled across borders to address substance use and mental health challenges in diverse, low resource communities.

The presentation deliver about the establishment of the Global-Regional Collaboration in Drug Demand and Supply Reduction Programs. The 2025 World Drug Report figures paint a sobering picture of our reality. 

This presentation will be featured at Indonesia 2025, on the 17.09.2025.

Authors:

Sedef Erçetin Gencosmanoğlu

Hendrée E. Jones

Abstract:

The Turkish Green Crescent Society (TGCS), established in 1920, has long been a pioneer in...