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On the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor stated that the Government of Armenia does not  pay enough attention to the responsibilities set by the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

These responsibilities include the social integration of people recovering from drug-addiction.

Fastinfo News Agency discussed the topic with Grigori Malintsyan, Country Manager in Armenia for the South Caucasus Integrated Border Management Project.  “Armenian Society has a negative attitude toward those who have recovered from or are being treated for drug-addiction. The state and public agencies should assist those recovering from drug-addiction  by finding ways to assist them to integrate back into society. Currently, there are no programs in Armenia for reintegrating those who are recovering or have recovered from drug-addiction,” stated G. Malintsyan.

Malintsyan believes that in order to eliminate discrimination towards former drug-users and to help reintegrate them back into society they should be able to secure a job. “If a person goes to see an employer seeking work and says that he/she still has an addiction to drugs and is receiving treatment the employer treats him/her as a stigmatized person and says, “Never.”

G. Malintsyan believes that this is where the Ministry of Labor and Social Security has a job to do. One solution would be to provide benefits to those employers who hire those who have recovered from a drug-addiction.

In response to the raised issue, Hasmik Khachatryan, Head of Department of Public Relations of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of the Republic of Armenia, stated: “These are not the ministry’s beneficiaries, and maybe the Ministry of Health should assume responsibility.”

Suren Krmoyan, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Health, stated that Government adopted the 2009-2012 Project on Combating Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, in which the issue of work therapy was discussed. “People with drug-addiction have different needs. The effectiveness of treatment by re-integrating them back into society with work therapy should be evaluated first and only then it would be possible to identify, which ministry should deal with it.’ S. Krmoyan stated that instructions were given and the studies will soon begin.

Source: http://www.slaq.am