Young people are vulnerable to a range of risk factors that lead them to drug abuse habits and acts of delinquency, and that also place them at particular risk of acquiring HIV. There exists an urgent need for adequate youth-friendly psychosocial counseling, support and health services to help in the treatment and rehabilitation of young drug abusers. The dire lack of such services exacerbates the difficulties that young people face. Their needs are different to those of adults and the predominant use of “compulsory treatment” has not only proved to be unsuccessful, resulting in an unacceptably high relapse rate, but could also worsen social exclusion, stigma and discrimination.

This project represents commitment to an active search for effective and culturally-appropriate treatment for young drug abusers. The project focuses on making a contribution towards meeting the serious need for community-based treatment and rehabilitation of young drug abusers in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

For more information on developing and implementing substance use prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes for young people, please refer to:

A Tool Kit for Building Capacity for Community-based Treatment and Continuing Care of Young Drug Users in the Greater Mekong Subregion (2007)
ST/ESCAP/2444

Young People and Substance Use: Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation (2005)
ST/ESCAP/2358