Alarming situation in KS: Large number of drug users

(Patria) - The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton presented the Strategy and Action Plan for the Prevention and Suppression of Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton today.

At an emergency session of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly on traffic safety, held on 09.06.2023, the KS Government was tasked with adopting a program for the prevention and suppression of drug abuse, with a special focus on controlling traffic participants, and the MIA of KS was the holder of the activities. The Minister of Internal Affairs of KS, Admir Katica, formed an expert team composed of long-term experts and profiled individuals in various segments of combating drug abuse, who worked intensively in previous months on developing the Strategy and Action Plan, and defined general goals, areas of action, and specific strategic goals.

"We have created a Strategy and action plan that will not be a dead letter on paper; we will also form a working body that will monitor the implementation of these measures and we will work to combat this phenomenon. In the next year, we have planned an amount of around half a million convertible marks for the procurement of testers for measuring the presence of narcotic drugs in drivers' bodies, and for conducting an active campaign against drug abuse and the activities of the non-governmental sector on this issue," stated the Minister of MIA of KS, Admir Katica.

"It is very important to emphasize that this Strategy also includes sending an initiative and request to the FBiH level to decriminalize the possession of certain quantities of certain substances, because if we transfer this part to the misdemeanor sphere, we can more effectively fight against crime related to this area. Also, I would like to point out that our Department for Combating Drug Abuse within the Police Administration of the MIA of KS is very well-capacitated with experts in this field, but we will definitely work on amending the Rulebook on Internal Organization and Systematization in the future and strengthen this sector, both materially and in terms of personnel," added Minister Katica.

The work of the expert team was successfully coordinated by its president, Nermin Lagumdžija, a long-term head of the Department for Combating Drug Abuse in KS and FBiH.

"The expert team worked intensively for four months on this issue. We conducted a situational analysis based on official data from competent institutions, as there have been no major studies in the Sarajevo Canton area so far that could track this scourge. The team focused on 3 directions: reducing supply, demand, and harm," said Lagumdžija, adding that during the development of the strategy, attention was paid to legal regulations, human rights and freedoms, child protection and rights, the involvement of the non-governmental sector, and transparency.

"According to data from the Public Institution for Addictions in Sarajevo Canton, in the last five years, about 9,312 people sought medical treatment due to problems with drug abuse. For comparison, in 1991, 45 addicts from all over BiH were treated at the Department of Neuropsychiatry at the University Clinical Center Sarajevo, so you can assess the situation yourself," added Lagumdžija.

An important step in the development of the Strategy and Action Plan for the Prevention and Suppression of Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton was the situational analysis presented by Rusmir Pobrić, a member of the KS Assembly and president of the KS Assembly Commission for Youth.

"The situational analysis is based exclusively on official data from Sarajevo Canton institutions. The Cantonal Prosecutor's Office report from 2022 showed that offenses related to drug abuse: production, trafficking, possession, and facilitating the use of narcotic drugs are absolutely the most dominant offenses in the structure of indictments filed, with 50 percent of all criminal offenses directly or indirectly related to drug abuse. Of the 9,312 addicts, about 80 percent are men and 20 percent are women," stated Pobrić.

Irma Deljkić, a professor at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Security Studies at the University of Sarajevo, made a significant contribution to defining the strategic principles and general goals of the Strategy, as well as determining the areas of action.

"In accordance with the strategy's goals, an action plan has been developed that prescribes clear measures. A total of 59 implementation activities are foreseen, with the holders of these activities defined. A specific goal is to reduce the supply of narcotic drugs. Three measures are prescribed for this goal: reducing availability and effective penal policy; then, reducing demand, with measures to prevent drug use and raise awareness of harmful effects. The third goal is to reduce harm and risks," stated Prof. Deljkić.

Alen Ališahović, an independent inspector and head of the Department for Combating Drug Abuse of the Police Administration of the MIA of KS, spoke about the implementation of the action plan, which is an integral part of this strategy.

"Our efforts in this regard certainly do not start only now; however, the Police Administration will focus its primary attention on reducing the availability and supply of narcotic drugs, and related crime. Our firm commitment to combating drug abuse is also evident through our operational actions, which we carry out throughout the year, both independently and in cooperation with colleagues from other agencies. We will continue to do so in the future," stated Ališahović. "Through this strategic document, we have further defined certain improvements in methods and approaches. One of them is increased testing of drivers for opiates. We have already initiated the procurement process for tests and I believe we will have them in the field as soon as possible. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that this document also foresees intensive work in terms of preventing drug abuse to the detriment of children, primarily in school environments. Community police officers made this issue a priority several years ago, and it has yielded results. We intend to further strengthen these activities," added Ališahović.

The expert team for the development of the Strategy and Action Plan for the Prevention and Suppression of Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton consisted of: Nermin Lagumdžija, long-term head of the Department for Combating Drug Abuse in KS and FBiH; Irma Deljkić, professor at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Security Studies at the University of Sarajevo; Academician Borislav Petrović, professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Sarajevo, Alen Ališahović, independent inspector and head of the Department for Combating Drug Abuse of the Police Administration of the MIA of KS; Safet Mušić, security expert; Anesa Agović – National Coordinator of the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime and Rusmir Pobrić, member of the KS Assembly and president of the KS Assembly Commission for Youth.