United States/Mexico Bi-National Drug Strategy
Strategy Component
Alliance Point 1: Reduce the demand for illicit drugs through
the intensification of anti-drug information and educational efforts, particularly
those directed at young people, and through rehabilitative programs.
The demand for drugs is a key factor in the international drug trafficking
chain, and has thus become a serious problem for both societies. Accordingly,
the two countries agree to work cooperatively to implement measures to
reduce demand for drugs and to strengthen bilateral cooperation in this
area.
The United States and Mexico will develop comparable indicator mechanisms
to exchange information between authorities responsible for monitoring
drug trends in both countries.
Public awareness campaigns in Mexico and the United States will target
high-risk populations.
Both countries will develop prevention and treatment programs focused
on high-risk populations and will emphasize areas where illicit drug use
has been increasing, particularly along the common border.
Objectives
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Strengthen research cooperation and the exchange of technical information.
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Increase public awareness of drug issues.
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Develop prevention and treatment programs.
Actions
- The Governments of Mexico and the United States will strengthen and
enhance research cooperation and the exchange of technical information
to develop methods to regularly estimate trends in the use and abuse of
drugs.
1.1 Both governments will analyze techniques and methods which
could serve as comparable indicators of drug epidemiology in both countries.
1.2 Both governments will share the opportunities for, and results
of, research programs and evaluations, and share opportunities for training.
1.3 Both governments will develop a system of delivering timely
scientific information and epidemiological data to decision-makers and
professionals who work in prevention and treatment.
1.4 Both governments will use existing for a to effectively exchange
information among scientific investigators in both countries. Examples
of existing fora include the Border Epidemiology Work Group (BEWG), and
the Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG).
1.5 Both governments will intensify the exchange of information
regarding the evaluation of prevention and treatment programs.
- The Governments of Mexico and the United States will increase public
awareness of drug issues, with emphasis on high-risk populations.
2.1 Both governments will convene a Binational Demand Reduction
Conference in 1998 to bring together experts from both countries on the
epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and research related to substance
abuse.
2.2 Both governments will work cooperatively with the media to
encourage responsible, scientifically based reporting on drug issues.
2.3 Both governments will exchange information on the development
of effective anti-drug media campaigns.
2.4 Both governments will establish a needs and resources assessment
that identifies programs and anti-drug coalitions working in prevention
and treatment in both countries.
- The Governments of Mexico and the United States will develop prevention
and treatment programs focused on high-risk populations, particularly along
the common borders.
3.1 Both governments will exchange information about effective
education and prevention programs, especially for target populations such
as youth.
3.2 Both governments will exchange information on the effective
prevention of violence linked to drugs in the schools and the community.
3.3 Both governments will exchange information regarding funding,
training, and professional development opportunities in both countries.
3.4 Both governments will broaden the training of community outreach
workers with regard to substance abuse.
3.5 Both governments will enhance the research on the prevention
and treatment of drug abuse.
3.5.1 Both governments will place special emphasis on
strengthening prevention, treatment, and assessment skills for primary
care professionals.
3.6 Both governments will translate and adapt prevention and
treatment materials to be used in both countries.
3.7 Both governments will develop programs for reduction of substance
abuse along the border.
3.8 Both governments will increase the effectiveness of anti-drug
coalitions in the border states in both nations.
3.9 Both governments will, as resources permit, develop a program
for economic grant assistance emphasizing development of programs for drug
and violence prevention in the schools and communities along the border.
