Environmental Dimensions of Drug-Related Issues
The Turkish Green Crescent Society (TGCS) is looking forward to contributing to Lisbon Addictions 2024 by exploring the intersection of "Drug Policy: Latest Developments and New Challenges." Its proposed workshop aims to shedding a light on the often-overlooked environmental implications of the global drug problem, along with its well-documented health effects. This way, the TGCS aims to provide a platform where the dual challenges posed by drug use can be broadly and evidentially elaborated.
When it comes to the environmental impact, the workshop will invite independent researchers such as Liliana M. Dávalos, Stony Brook University to work on issues like water pollution, soil contamination, and their repercussions on the food chain and will invite independent researchers such as, J K Carah, UC Berkeley Cannabis Research Center on the repercussions of the climate crisis, in order to demonstrate how interrelated all SDGs regarding this issue are. Drawing insights from the UNODC World Drug Report, the workshop will also invite independent researchers such as, K McSweeney, Ohio State University on the environmental toll of drug production to elaborate on the adverse effects of synthetic drug production waste on local communities and to underscore drug cultivation as a significant driver for deforestation. Notably, the report highlights a startling environmental contrast, revealing that 1 kg of cocaine carries a carbon footprint 30 times greater than that of 1 kg of cocoa.
As an NGO, the TGCS emphasizes prevention and recognizes the imperative for holistic approaches addressing both public health and environmental sustainability when it comes to the global drug problem. The expert from the TGCS will shed light on the organization's works at the COPs of UNFCCC that it contributes to annually, namely with the side event opened as part of COP28 in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on the environmental and health problems caused by tobacco use, specifically on land use, cigarette filters, and disposable electronic cigarettes. The TGCS plans on opening a side event at COP29 on drug use and climate change, therefore, this proposed workshop will provide an in-depth analysis on this topic, laying the foundations of the discussion.
This workshop aims to elevate the discourse at Lisbon Addictions 2024 by integrating scholarly insights with practical initiatives. By delving into the environmental dimensions of drug-related issues, TGCS seeks to encourage a paradigm shift, urging global stakeholders to consider ecological impacts alongside public health imperatives in drug policy formulations. Moreover, the workshop is set to serve as a link for global collaboration among civil society actors, fostering unity and an opportunity to strengthen collaborations in addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by the escalating global drug problem.
