World Drug Day 2025: The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention, Break The Cycle” by Dr. Kirk Christie, Consultant Psychiatrist

On June 26, countries around the world, including The Bahamas will recognize World Drug Day under the global theme: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention, Break the Cycle.”

This day is more than a date on the calendar. It’s a chance for all of us, individuals, families, professionals, communities, and governments, to reflect on the growing impact of drug use and the drug trade, and to take meaningful steps to address it.

Substance use affects real people: our sons, daughters, partners, neighbours, coworkers. No one is immune. The good news is that prevention works and there is science to prove it.

Around the world, we are seeing a surge in synthetic drugs, including highly potent opioids like nitazenes. These substances are leading to deadly overdoses and placing more pressure on already stretched health systems. At the same time, the illegal drug trade is feeding other serious problems: human trafficking, environmental damage, illegal mining, and violence. These crimes often trap vulnerable communities in a cycle of poverty and addiction.

What’s needed now is not more punishment but smarter prevention. That means investing in education, healthcare, mental health services, job opportunities, and alternatives to crime. These are the real tools that protect our youth, strengthen families, and build resilient communities.

To be effective, drug policies must be based on facts not fear. They must be flexible enough to adapt to new research and changing trends. And they must put people first.

One of the most important things we can do, is listen to and involve the people most affected by the scourge of drugs, especially our young people. They need more than warnings. They need knowledge, skills, and support to make healthy choices and to become leaders in their communities. When youth are empowered, prevention becomes powerful.

Here in The Bahamas, we have a unique opportunity to build a future where no one is left behind because of substance use disorders. But that future depends on action that we all take, today.

If you are a citizen of The Bahamas, take time on this World Drug Day to learn more about substance use disorders and your role in reducing the stigma of drug addiction. Talk with your children, neighbours, or coworkers. Share accurate information and be a voice of compassion.

If you are a healthcare provider, advocate for better access to treatment and recovery services. Create safe, non-judgmental spaces for people to seek help. Recognize that addiction is a health condition, not a moral failure.

If you lead a church, charity, civic group, or foundation, integrate prevention into your programs. Support outreach in the underserved communities. Address the root causes of drug use disorders, which include: poverty, school drop-out, unemployment, history of emotional, physical, financial and sexual trauma, lack of employment and educational opportunities for youth and older adults, accessibility and availability of drugs in the community, which all serve as risk factors for persons developing drug use disorders (drug addictions)

If you are a policymaker, consider innovative ways to fund prevention and treatment programs. One approach is introducing new taxes (also known as a sin tax) or increasing existing taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, vapes or vaping devices, and nicotine products. This potential revenue can be used to support substance use and misuse, education, prevention and care, at the population level.

Additionally, priority must be given to the national mental health and addiction policies that promote housing, employment, and education for people in recovery. These are not luxuries, they are essentials for building lives of dignity and purpose.

The truth is simple: People recover. Communities heal. Prevention saves lives. But we must act together, guided by science, strengthened by compassion, and committed to justice.

On This World Drug Day, let’s move beyond awareness and into action. Let’s break the cycle, so that everyone in our nation has the chance to live a healthy, fulfilling life. 

For more information, contact Dr. Kirk Christie at info@kirkchristie.com or call 242-323-3295/6 or 242-364-9600.Content based on guidance from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).