The City of Vilnius last week sponsored a two-day international conference entitled "AIDS and Drug Use: Let's Unify our Response."
Published:
5 October 2000 y., Thursday
The event brought together experts from Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, the United States as well as hundreds of representatives from many levels of
Lithuanian society and government: police and health officials, educators,
student leaders and politicians.
The main auditorium at the Vilnius Congress Hall was standing room only
for the opening addresses on Sept. 19 - a testament to the importance of
these issues in Lithuania today. In most cases, the speeches themselves
addressed concrete means of attacking the drug problem.
Kornelijus Platelis, Lithuania's minister of education, spoke about the
effect of drug use on schools in the country. "Drugs are affecting mainly
our young people. Drugs are openly sold in schools and underage crime
is increasing," he said.
Platelis advocated increased policing of drug traffickers and dealers in
order to reduce supply as well as working more closely with countries
more experienced in fighting drugs such as the United States, Russia and
Sweden.
While Lithuania was only a hub for the transportation of narcotics just a few short years ago, it is now a nation of drug producers and users, according to Ceslovas Blazys, minister of the interior. Some 21 percent of Lithuania's school-age boys and 9.6 percent of school-age girls experimented with drugs at least once, according to a
survey conducted by the Vilnius Pedagogical Institute in 1999.
Šaltinis:
baltictimes.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Lithuanians are among the healthiest nations in the EU member and accession states, according to a recently carried study in present and future EU members
more »
Independent journalists and international human rights organizations are concerned about the future of free-press development in Kazakhstan
more »
Estonian prosecutors said Friday they have launched an investigation into whether an 80-year-old former U.S. resident took part in the massacre of 3,000 Jews during World War II
more »
French police have arrested eight Muslims as part of an investigation into "planned" anti-Russian attacks in France
more »
Auction of land plots lease for the restoration of fragments of historical Jewish ghetto in Vilnius
more »
The 12-member commission on the possible impeachment of Lithuanian President held its first meeting
more »
Russia Secret Service Seizes Copies Book linking it to 1999 bombings
more »
Since 1991 some 1 million people have emigrated from Armenia
more »
Fugitive financier, adult entertainer announce bids for European body
more »
The Polish co-producer of the Oscar-winning films "The Pianist" and "Schindler's List" went on trial Tuesday
more »