London (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has called on the international community to cut global demand for narcotics and drugs as part of a strategy to prevent abuse of the contraband.

Social Service Minister Salim Segaf Al-Jufri made the call at the 54th session of the UN Commission on Drugs being held in Vienna on March 21-25, spokesman of the Indonesian Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna Djati Ismojo said in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday.

Al Jufri who is also the head of the Indonesian delegation to the meeting further attached significance to political commitment of each country to cut drugs supply and demand.

In an effort to prevent abuse of narcotics and drugs in Indonesia, the National Narcotics Board (BNN), along with relevant ministries and civil community had launched campaigns to promote the public awareness of the danger of drugs, he said.

The cooperation with the civil community among others came in the form of partnership including that with the Cinta Anak Bangsa Foundation, a leading non-governmental organization which had spent much of its time on providing education and training for school dropouts and community members who were at the high risk of being addicted to drugs, he said.

He said medical and social care and rehabilitation of drug addicts was an integral part of the strategy to prevent abuse of drugs in Indonesia.

To that end, the Social Service Ministry was making an effort to increase the number of medical and social care and rehabilitation units as well as the number of their officers by organizing education and training courses in the field of therapy services, including physical, mental/psychological and social therapies, he said.

The 54th session of the UN Commission on Drugs is taking place at the UN Building in Vienna, with more than 100 countries participating.

The Indonesian delegation to the meeting comprises representatives of relevant agencies including the National Narcotics Board, the National Police, the Finance Ministry, the Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM), the Health Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.
(T.H-ZG/S012/HAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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