The Demand Reduction Experts Group provides technical expertise, facilitates cooperation among countries, and submits recommendations to the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) on implementation of the OAS Hemispheric Drug Strategy 2020 and its respective Hemispheric Plan of Action on Drugs 2021-2025.

The Group is open to designated national experts from OAS member states with a specialization in aspects of drug demand reduction, and meets annually to address priority issues related to drug demand reduction public policies and programs.

For the 2023-2024 period, CICAD’s Demand Reduction Experts Group is chaired by Brazil and vice-chaired by Barbados.

Objectives of the Meeting

• Address priority issues related to drug prevention, early intervention, treatment, care, rehabilitation, social integration and recovery as well as health promotion. Additionally, the issue of emerging threats related to new psychoactive substances will be discussed in the meeting.
• Contribute to the establishment of comprehensive and integrated drug demand reduction policies, and to strengthen the support and care systems for people who use drugs, that are integrated with health systems, and that respect human rights, and offer gender-specific services