As we close out the year and look ahead to a pivotal period for global drug policy, this month’s Global Task Force update highlights key opportunities to engage, contribute, and prepare for the months ahead. With important UN processes underway, including preparations for the 69th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and other international consultations, your voice and participation remain essential to advancing prevention, treatment, and recovery within global discussions.

69th Session of the UN CND

As the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is approaching, we have launched a dedicated webpage which will be updated regularly with key deadlines, guidance, and opportunities for engagement. In addition, our Global Events & Observances Calendar helps partners stay informed about important international moments throughout the year.

As we prepare for the upcoming session, we invite your input to help shape the GTF Pre-CND Training Day, the CND exhibit, advocacy materials, and the Priority Brief.

Please take a moment to complete the short survey here.

Your participation helps guide our shared advocacy and strengthens the visibility of prevention, treatment, and recovery within global drug policy discussions. Thank you to those that have completed.

CND Side Events & Exhibitions

Applications Open Monday, 5 January

Side Events

Side events offer a critical platform for NGOs, experts, and governments to spotlight emerging issues, share best practices, and strengthen international collaboration.

Side-event applications open Monday, 5 January, and close 23 January.

Due to limited slots and first-come, first-served allocation, early coordination and preparation are strongly encouraged.

Key points to note:

  • Only NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status may organize a side event.
  • NGOs without ECOSOC status may co-sponsor events.
  • All supporting organizations must be listed at the time of application.
  • Each organization may submit one side-event application.
  • Events may be in-person, hybrid, or fully virtual.

Access the side event guidelines here.

Exhibitions

Organizations interested in hosting an exhibition must apply 5–23 January, submitting:

  • A design sketch
  • Proposed content and/or photos

Exhibition spaces (4m x 3m) will be located in M0E, M01, and M02 at the Vienna International Centre.

Access the exhibitions guidelines here.

Stakeholder Consultation Survey for the Development of UNODC Strategy 2026-2030

Complete by 1 January

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is developing its 2026–2030 Strategy to guide its work in addressing global challenges related to crime, drugs, corruption, and terrorism.

As part of this process, UNODC is committed to ensuring that the perspectives of non-governmental stakeholders are meaningfully reflected. We therefore invite you to participate in a survey designed to gather insights, priorities, and recommendations from civil society organizations, academia, the private sector, and other non-governmental partners.

Complete the survey by 1 January 2026.

Extended Deadline for UN Congress Ancillary Meetings

9 January

The Secretariat to the Governing Bodies has extended the application deadline for ancillary meetings and exhibitions at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, taking place 25–30 April 2026 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The new application deadline is 9 January 2026. Proposals may be submitted online, and detailed guidelines and application forms are available on the official Congress website.

Ask the Expert LIVE: Maritime Trafficking Module

28 January 11 AM CET

Synthetic drugs and their precursors are increasingly trafficked across the world’s oceans concealed within shipping containers, mixed with legitimate cargo, or routed through complex global supply chains. Their small size, high potency, and ease of concealment enable traffickers to exploit international maritime routes, posing significant challenges to authorities responsible for safeguarding global trade and maritime security.

In response, a new Maritime Trafficking Module has been launched as part of the UN Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs, developed in collaboration with the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme. This module equips maritime, security, and law enforcement practitioners with practical, sector-specific guidance to detect, disrupt, and prevent the trafficking of synthetic drugs at sea.

Key components include:

  • International standards and jurisdictional guidance for coastal and flag States;
  • Training catalogues and operational tools for maritime law enforcement authorities;
  • Analytical reports from high-risk regions, including resources on containerized trafficking;
  • E-learning materials, tabletop exercises, and practical guidance on interdiction challenges and response strategies.

To mark the launch, you are invited to a live demonstration and “Ask the Expert LIVE” session on 28 January 2026 at 11:00 (Vienna time). Toral Vadgama, Officer-in-Charge of the Global Maritime Crime Programme, will discuss emerging maritime trafficking trends and answer questions on available UNODC operational tools.

To register and submit your questions, please click here.

Call for Inputs: Youth Mental Health & Human Rights

20 February

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is inviting submissions from civil society in support of Human Rights Council Resolution 57/30, which mandates a global study on the impact of mental health challenges on young people’s enjoyment of human rights.

The study will examine key mental health challenges facing youth, barriers to accessing care, government actions and policies, funding for youth mental health services, and opportunities to strengthen protections, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable young people. Inputs from civil society and youth-led organizations will inform the report to be presented at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.

Submissions (maximum 5 pages) should be sent to ohchr-registry@un.org (cc: helen.griffiths@un.org) by 20 February 2026. All contributions will be published on the OHCHR website.

Read the full request here.

Prevention Under Siege in Modern Drug Policy – A Conversation with WFAD President Amy Ronshausen | Unnecessary Harm Podcast

What happens when prevention loses ground to profit-driven policy?

In this episode of The Unnecessary Harm Podcast, host Shane Varcoe sits down with Amy Ronshausen, Executive Director of Drug Free America Foundation and International President of the World Federation Against Drugs. Amy leads a global network of nearly 500 NGOs and tracks over 400 pieces of drug legislation annually, coordinating grassroots campaigns against normalisation efforts across the United States.

The conversation explores Amy’s journey from drug court systems to global policy leadership, revealing how harm reduction has been hijacked. What began as genuine mechanisms to help people stay alive whilst exiting drug use has been weaponised by pro-drug actors to normalise substance use and keep people dependent. Amy exposes the funding imbalance that prioritises triage over prevention, pouring resources into ambulances at the bottom of the cliff instead of building fences at the top.

Drawing on examples from Singapore’s tough but restorative approach and India’s Fourth Way Foundation youth programmes, Amy demonstrates that prevention works when communities invest properly. The discussion tackles uncomfortable truths about marijuana legalisation, the erosion of evidence-based policy, and why harm reduction has become an adversary to prevention rather than a partner in the continuum of care.

This episode cuts through the noise to deliver a clear message: both prevention and treatment are essential, but prevention must be prioritised. Real change requires legislative action, community mobilisation, and an unwavering commitment to stopping drug initiation before it starts. Because the best treatment for addiction is never developing one in the first place.

Tune into this conversation here.

New Research & Publications