Opening Remarks
Mr. Mariano Francisco Herrán Salvatti
Attorney General's Special Office for
Crimes Against Health, Mexico
Mr. Herrán noted that drug abuse has a great impact on families, youth, and public health. Though it involves issues of both supply and demand, he claimed that the only long-term, viable solution to the drug problem is prevention. As he pointed out, the Mexican Government has developed a National Drug Control Strategy for the years 1995 to 2000. This document has a comprehensive focus that addresses the problem on three levels of government. On one level, he explained, it provides guidelines for controlling demand as well as supply and places special emphasis on prevention. In that sense, education is an important preventive measure, because drug use is closely related to cultural values as well as to individual attitudes about life. He further stated that information is basic to addressing actions, attitudes, and behaviors that improve health and social well-being. Multiple activities that promote strong family ties and reinforce desirable social values (although not necessarily specifically placing emphasis on drugs) are needed. In conclusion, Mr. Herrán stressed that children are the most precious treasure of any country. Thus in their interest, he noted that the U.S. and Mexico need to make concrete commitments to drug demand reduction.
Children are the most precious treasure of any country. In their interest, we need to reach concrete commitments to drug demand reduction.
