L'oeil de la Genève Internationale
July 2016

Marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (World Drug Day) on 26 June 2016, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched the 2016 World Drug Report along with promoting the "Listen First" global campaign with the support of WHO and UNAIDS.

Key findings in the report point out that the number of people classified as suffering from drug use disorders has increased disproportionately for the first time in six years. There are now over 29 million people within this category compared to the previous figure of 27 million reported in 2015. However, the number of adults using at least one drug in 2014 – nearly 250 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 years – has not grown over the past four years in proportion to the global population. The report also focuses on the world drug problem in the context of the new Sustainable Development Goals and provides a comprehensive overview of the supply and demand of illicit drugs as well as their impact on health.

Launched during April's UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem, the "Listen First" global campaign aims to raise awareness around listening to children and youth as the first step to help them grow healthy and safe. It also reaches out to a wide range of groups including parents, teachers,policy makers, health workers and prevention workers.

Photographer Tony Fouhse spent nine months helping and photographing heroin addict Stephanie M. Just before she was to enter a rehab program Stephanie developed an abscess in her brain, underwent brain surgery and ended up living with Tony and his wife while she withdrew from heroin. This image shows Stephanie sleeping peacefully after 8 days of withdrawal. This encounter led to the book "Live Through This" (photos by Tony, words by Stephanie).