National Taiwan Normal University's (NTNU) Center for Addiction Prevention and Policy Research (CAPPR) hosted a pre-conference workshop on Friday for the 2024 Asia-Pacific Harm Reduction International Conference. The event was hosted in collaboration with the Academy for the Judiciary of the Justice Ministry and the Taiwan Harm Reduction Association. Experts from multiple countries joined Taiwanese counterparts to sign a harm reduction declaration.
The event focused on exchanging strategies for addressing addiction across diverse cultural contexts. Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) highlighted Taiwan's harm reduction efforts since 2003, responding to a spike in HIV infections among opioid users. This led to the implementation of foreign-inspired initiatives, including clean needle provision, substitution therapy, counseling, and referrals, significantly reducing new HIV cases from intravenous drug use.
Chen stressed the severity of drug issues as a national security concern, acknowledging President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) commitment to anti-drug efforts. Despite the remarkable reduction in drug users to approximately 40,000 in 2022 from 61,000 in 2015, Chen emphasized the ongoing need for comprehensive measures.
In his address, Chen expressed optimism for international collaboration, urging countries to share solutions and learn from each other to combat drug abuse collectively. He emphasized the importance of creating a global environment that fosters health and well-being for all.
