Pope's Catechesis on the Day of the Fight against Drugs

On Wednesday, 26 June, during the General Audience in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis delivered another of his catecheses, this time on the theme of the World Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, declared by the United Nations General Assembly.

POPE FRANCIS 

Dear brothers and sisters, good day! 

Today is World Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1987. This year's theme is "The evidence is clear: we must invest in prevention".

Saint John Paul II stated that "drug abuse impoverishes every community in which it occurs. It diminishes human strength and moral qualities. It undermines accepted values. It destroys the will to live and to contribute to a better society'. That is what drug abuse and drug use does. At the same time, however, let us remember that each drug addict "carries with him or her a different personal story that needs to be listened to, understood, loved and, if possible, healed and purified. As persons who are children of God, they continue, more than ever, to have their dignity". Every person has his or her dignity.

But we cannot ignore the evil intentions and actions of drug dealers and traffickers. They are murderers! Pope Benedict XVI used harsh words during a visit to a therapeutic community: "I say to drug dealers to reflect on the evil they are doing to many young people and adults from all walks of life: God will call them to account for what they have done. Human dignity cannot be trampled on in this way." And drugs trample on human dignity.

Reducing drug dependence will not be achieved by liberalising drug consumption - that is an illusion - as is being proposed or already implemented in some countries. If you liberalise, you will consume more. Because I know so many tragic stories of drug addicts and their families, I am convinced that it is morally right to put an end to the production and trade in these dangerous substances. How many death merchants - because drug merchants are death merchants - are driven by the logic of power and money at any cost! And this scourge, which produces violence and spreads suffering and death, requires an act of courage from the whole of society.

Drug production and trafficking also have a destructive impact on our common home. This is increasingly evident, for example, in the Amazon basin.

Another priority way to combat drug abuse and trafficking is prevention, which is done by promoting greater justice, educating young people about the values that build personal and community life, accompanying those in need, and giving hope for the future. 

In my travels to different dioceses and countries, I have had the opportunity to visit several retreat communities inspired by the Gospel. They are a powerful and hopeful witness to the commitment of priests, consecrated men and women and lay people to put the parable of the Good Samaritan into practice. I am equally encouraged by the efforts of the various bishops' conferences to promote just legislation and policies on drug treatment and prevention to stop this scourge.

As an example, I highlight the Latin American Network for Addiction Prevention La Pastoral Latinoamericana de Acompañamiento y Prevençión de Adicciones (PLAPA). The statutes of this network state that "addiction to alcohol, psychoactive substances and other forms of addiction (pornography, new technologies, etc.) ... is a problem that affects us all, regardless of geographical, social, cultural, religious and age differences. Despite these differences ... we want to organise ourselves as a community: to share experiences, enthusiasms, difficulties". 

I also mention the Bishops of South Africa who have convened a meeting in November 2023 on the theme "Empowering Youth as Agents of Peace and Hope". Youth representatives present at the meeting recognized this gathering as "a significant milestone aimed at healthy and active youth across the region." They also pledged, "We embrace our role as ambassadors and advocates in the fight against drug use. We ask all young people to always be empathetic towards each other". 

Dear brothers and sisters, in the face of the tragic situation of drug addiction for millions of people around the world, in the face of the scandal of the illegal production and trafficking of these drugs, "we cannot be indifferent. The Lord Jesus stopped, became close, healed wounds. In the style of his closeness, we too are called to act, to stop at situations of fragility and pain, to listen to the cries of loneliness and anguish, to bend down to lift up and restore to life those who have fallen into the bondage of drugs". And let us pray for those criminals who give drugs to young people: they are criminals, they are murderers! Let us pray for their conversion.

On this World Drug Day, we renew our commitment as Christians and as a church community to pray and work against drugs. Thank you.

https://www.vaticannews.va/cs/papez/news/2024-06/papezova-katecheze-v-den-boje-proti-drogam.html