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Visit of ECECACD to Ukraine marks International Day against drug abuse and Illicit trafficking

June 26, 2025 — In commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Ukraine hosted a high-level visit by Commissioners of the Eastern and Central European and Central Asian Commission on Drug Policy (ECECACD) from June 23–25, 2025.

The delegation included:

  • President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former President of Poland

  • Professor Michel Kazatchkine, former Executive Director of the Global Fund

  • MEP Vytenis Andriukaitis, former EU Commissioner for Health

  • General Volodymyr Tymoshenko, former Head of Ukraine’s Drug Enforcement Service

The visit took place during a particularly challenging time for Ukraine, amid the ongoing war. The Commissioners expressed strong solidarity with the Ukrainian people, acknowledged their remarkable resilience, and affirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine’s EU accession and the reforms this process entails.

A Call for Drug Policy Reform

In light of both the EU accession process and the complex realities caused by war, the Commissioners urged Ukrainian leadership to prioritize drug policy reform. Key recommendations included:

  • Aligning Ukraine’s drug policy with EU standards as part of its accession process

  • Addressing the war-driven rise in substance use and mental health disorders, especially among military personnel and civilians

  • Promoting decriminalization of possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use

  • Raising threshold quantities that define criminal liability

  • Developing and adopting a new National Drug Strategy through 2030 (an EU requirement)

  • Enabling access to psychedelic-assisted therapies (such as MDMA and other psychedelics for medical use) for PTSD and mental health, including the reclassification of certain substances

  • Establishing a comprehensive medical and social support system for veterans and military personnel, including harm reduction

  • Securing international support for Ukraine’s position at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)

Meetings and Engagements

During the visit, the Commissioners held high-level consultations with:

  • Members of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine)

  • Representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and the Public Health Center

    The Mayor of Kyiv and his team

  • UN officials including the UN Resident Coordinator, UNODC, UNAIDS, and WHO

  • Civil society representatives, including communities of people who use drugs, veterans, and practitioners of psychedelic-assisted therapy

The Commissioners expressed their readiness to continue supporting Ukraine through political advocacy and expert consultation.