Moldovan government approves national strategy on drugs, addictions for 2026–2032

The prevention of drug use, improving access to treatment and recovery, combating drug trafficking and rapidly identifying new dangerous substances are the main goals of the National Strategy on Drugs and Addictions for 2026-2032, approve by the government today.

„We have a problem that we must acknowledge: the drug phenomenon has changed significantly, but the way the state responds to it has not adapted quickly enough. Today, a teenager can purchase psychoactive substances through a messaging app. They may end up in the emergency room with intoxication caused by a new substance that doctors are not yet sufficiently familiar with, while the family may only discover the problem at that moment. This is no longer solely a problem for the police or the healthcare system. It is a public health, education, social protection and community safety problem,” said Health Minister Alexandru Gasnas.

In 2025, 704 new cases related to drug use were recorded in the medical records of Moldova, compared with 545 in 2024. At the same time, the emergence of new synthetic drugs and the development of online distribution methods pose additional risks, particularly for children and adolescents. Presently, interventions are fragmented. The police combat trafficking, doctors treat intoxication and addiction, schools try to prevent drug use and social services intervene when families have already been affected.

The adopted strategy aims to shift from institutions that respond separately to a system that prevents, identifies risks and intervenes in a coordinated manner. In the area of prevention, special attention will be given to adolescents, including the risks in the digital environment, where both new forms of drug distribution and addictive behaviors are developing. In the area of addiction treatment, addiction services will be integrated with mental health services, community-based services will be developed and continuity of treatment and recovery will be ensured.

„A person should not have to reach a hospital only after a severe intoxication. He/she must be able to seek help earlier and have access to recovery and social reintegration, including outside the Chisinau municipality,” the minister said.

The document also provides for the prevention of serious consequences of drugs’ use, including overdose prevention, reducing the transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis, testing, counseling and access to effective treatments. To combat drug trafficking, the strategy focuses on identifying new distribution methods, including online distribution, combating criminal networks and cooperation among law enforcement institutions.

At the same time, the National Drug Observatory will be strengthened and the National Early Warning System will be developed, so that information about the risks posed by new substances can quickly reach doctors, emergency services and law enforcement authorities.

„We cannot combat trafficking through treatment alone and we cannot treat addiction through sanctions alone. We need a state that is firm against trafficking, but also a system capable of protecting children, identifying drug use at an early stage, and providing treatment to affected persons,” Minister Gasnas said.

The strategy also addresses addictions associated with alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and problematic use of the digital environment. It also emphasizes reducing the stigmatization of people affected by addictions and strengthening cooperation among institutions in the fields of health, education, internal affairs, justice and social protection, including by reorganizing the National Anti-Drug Commission into a coordination mechanism for drugs and addictions.

The strategy will be implemented in stages through the National Programme on Drugs and Addictions for 2027–2032, which will establish the specific measures, responsible institutions, costs and outcome indicators.

By 2032, the strategy aims to reduce the number of children and young people who begin using drugs, prevent intoxications and deaths, increase access to treatment, and improve communities’ safety.