Within the framework of the Strategy against drug abuse in Sarajevo Canton, which was enacted and implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the KS, in cooperation with other ministries in the Government of the KS, the first Counseling Center for work with minors who experiment with drugs was launched in 2024.
Until now, there have been no specialized institutions for the treatment of minors exclusively, although according to the data from the Strategy, surveys have shown that the experimentation of minors with narcotic drugs predominantly begins between the ages of 12 and 17.
Prevention programs were primarily aimed at high school students through lectures by police officers and peer education, and no significant campaigns were conducted. The strategy identified all these problems and prescribed measures aimed at solving them, as well as the involvement of line ministries. The Ministry of Education significantly intensified its activities, and in 2025 held more than 3,000 educational workshops in primary and secondary schools for students and parents.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Health launched the first Counseling Center for Minors at the Institute for Addiction Diseases of the Canton of Sarajevo, whose number of services is increasing. Although this information in itself is not affirmative, it is a good thing that more and more parents and their children are coming to this institution because they have recognized it as a place where they can receive professional help and treatment.
The Director of the Institute for Addiction Diseases, Prof. Dr. Rasema Okić, explained that the Counseling Center has worked with more than 130 minors since its establishment, but that this number changes depending on how regularly they attend treatments.
“In 2025, the Counseling Center provided more than 1,100 treatments to minors experimenting with narcotic drugs. Of that number, we had more than 600 individual treatments and about 500 treatments in the presence of parents. By analyzing data from last year, we determined that 28 minors come to us regularly and that they have achieved good results,” explained Prof. Dr. Rasema Okić. She added that the work takes place through groups of children and parents, with the involvement of a social worker, psychologist and doctor who performs controls. In addition, last year, the Institute for Addictive Diseases held more than 300 lectures and workshops in 45 primary and secondary schools in Sarajevo Canton.
The Minister of Internal Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton, Admir Katica, explained that the launch of the Counseling Center is part of the strategy, as well as the comprehensive campaign against drug abuse “Izošti um – substance na distance”. Through this campaign, we had targeted messages aimed at young people and adapted to their age and way of communication, such as: ‘Take care of your body, keep it white’, ‘Draw plans, not lines’, ‘Let go of bobs, find a beat’, etc. Through these messages we also communicated the information that they now have a Counseling Center for minors that they can turn to at any time of the day, without a referral from a family doctor and without administrative procedures. In 2026, we will expand the campaign and try to reach an even greater number of young people.”
He added that the Ministry of Health of KS made a huge contribution in this, because they made it possible for every minor whose parent suspects to have been in contact with narcotic drugs to receive professional, medical help and treatment, and they facilitated the testing and admission procedures as much as possible.
All parents who have doubts or indications that their minor children have come into contact with drugs can contact the Juvenile Counseling Center by phone at 033 257 771 or directly at the address of the Institute for Addiction Diseases KS, Nahorevska Street 173. The counseling center works daily, in two shifts.
