CSTO chief narcologists discuss drug trends

According to CSTO press service, on September 8–9, a Coordination Meeting of Chief Narcologists (CMCN) of the CSTO Member States discussed in Yerevan topical areas of CSTO Member States’ counter-drug activities and drug-related developments and trends, as well as the situation regarding non-medical drug use in CSTO Member States.
The participants considered problems of addiction prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts, including those abusing new types of psychoactive substances, and coordination of cooperation with law enforcement agencies and education institutions.
The event was moderated by Suren Nazinyan, Chief Narcologist of the Ministry of Health of Armenia, and Mikhail Melikhov, CSTO CMCN deputy Secretary.
Presentations were made by representatives of the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation and Republic of Tajikistan.
The participants discussed changes in the way drug treatment is organized in the CSTO Member States, shared best practices and methodologies on psychoactive substance use prevention and prevention of drug addiction-caused disorders – primary, secondary and tertiary – as well as interagency cooperation and its normative and legal support.
A future work plan was outlined for the Coordination Meeting of Chief Narcologists of the CSTO Member States.
The participants of the event visited the National Centre for Addiction Treatment of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, got acquainted with the structure and the activities of this leading specialized medical organization and its subdivisions (clinical diagnostic and chemico-toxicological laboratories, in-patient addiction treatment departments, clinic, consulting rooms of narcologists, psychologists and social workers).