Sarajevo Canton has received the first unified database on drug abuse, which is part of the Strategy against Drug Abuse in Sarajevo Canton, for the period 2024-2028.
For the first time, the relevant ministries, institutes and institutions dealing with drug abuse issues have a single system tool that will serve in strategic action in the fight against drug abuse.
The database does not contain any personal data, but it contains significant statistical indicators on: the quantities and types of drugs seized in Sarajevo, the number of criminal offenses related to drug abuse, the number of drivers tested for drugs, the number of operational actions and raids carried out, the number of treated addicts in Sarajevo Canton who turned to the Institute for Addiction Diseases of Sarajevo Canton, the types of drugs they consume, the number of drug tests performed at the Institute, etc.
– This is a very, very important tool that will enable us to monitor the implementation of strategic measures and activities carried out in the Sarajevo Canton, but also in creating new measures to combat drug abuse – said the Minister of Internal Affairs Admir Katica, and reminded of the most important measures from the Strategy that have been implemented so far.
– This year we started testing drivers for the presence of drugs in their bodies. More than 900 drivers have been tested. This is a very important tool for increasing safety in the field of traffic because every driver whom the police suspect of being under the influence of drugs, even if they refuse to be tested, is excluded from traffic and sanctioned. We have faced the problem that a large number of drivers refuse to take the test, but we are also working on that and are demanding a drastic increase in penalties for refusal,” said the minister.
– We have a very high-quality campaign against drug abuse ‘Sharpen your mind – substance at a distance’, which is aimed at various target groups. Campaign messages are broadcast at the most important cultural and sports events in the city, and confiscated property is also used through the Federal Agency for the Management of Confiscated Property to broadcast campaign messages there. We have entered all primary and secondary schools with the Ministry of Education and Training, where more than 3,000 educational workshops were held this year, which were attended by around 5,000 students – said Katica.
Head of the Uniformed Police Sector, Chief Inspector Amir Halilović, pointed out that the Department for Combating Drug Abuse of the Police Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior of the Canton of Sarajevo this year confiscated around 280 kg of various types of drugs, whose street value is estimated at 2.3 million KM.
– One of the strategic goals of the Police Directorate is to reduce the supply of narcotic drugs, through strengthening institutional capacities, efficient criminal investigations and improving cooperation and data exchange with domestic and international partners. This database is very important in that process. It does not contain personal data, but it contains analytical and aggregated indicators that help us better and faster understand where, when and how the problem appears, develops and becomes more complex. These indicators are very important for us in planning effective prevention and repression measures – said Halilović.
Dr. Almedina Tanović, a specialist in psychiatry at the Institute for Addiction Diseases, spoke about the work of the Institute for Addiction Diseases on implementing the measures from the Strategy and updating the database, and she specifically referred to the work with minors through the Counseling Center for Minors.
– The age range of children who come for examination and treatment ranges between 13 and 20 years. The most common substances that young people experiment with are marijuana and amphetamine. Also, the research we conducted at the Counseling Center showed that the most common psychiatric comorbidities are behavioral disorders and adolescent crisis. Young people most often come at the insistence of their parents and school, but they are also referred by other institutions such as the KJU Home for Children Without Parental Care, SOS Children’s Village and the Educational Center of the Canton of Sarajevo – said Tanović, adding that the Institute actively participates in the implementation of measures from the Strategy and provides data for the database.
The database was presented by Anesa Agović, a member of the Team for Supervision of the Implementation of the Strategy against Drug Abuse.
– Why is a database on drug abuse needed right now – and where did the idea for its establishment come from? The answer is simple, drug abuse is not just an individual health or social problem, but a multifaceted threat that spans health, education, public safety and social cohesion. Without reliable, systematic and comparable information, there is a risk that our efforts will remain partial, that measures will be delayed and that we will not see the true impact of our activities,” Agović pointed out. “That is precisely why this database is important: it presents us with facts – not assumptions; it enables transparency – not only within the sector, but also towards the public and creates the basis for inter-institutional cooperation – which is a prerequisite for long-term success – she added.
The database was developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which performs data entry and monitoring, while relevant data for the database is provided by the Ministry of Education – Public Institution Institute for the Development of Pre-University Education, the Ministry of Health of Canton Sarajevo – Public Institution Institute for Addiction Diseases, the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy, Refugees and Displaced Persons of Canton Sarajevo – Therapeutic Community Campus, Educational Center of Canton Sarajevo, KJU Family Counseling Center. Reports generated from the database are published on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis through the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Canton Sarajevo, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Canton Sarajevo announced.
