Over 150 drugs deaths in past 14 years

By George Psyllides

Drugs caused 154 deaths in Cyprus between 2000 and 2014, Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said on Thursday, in a speech to mark the international day against drug abuse and illegal trafficking.

“The most dangerous position in this macabre path is unfortunately held by youths, the most valuable part of our society,” Nicolaou said.

The minister added that 154 people died from drugs between 2000 and 2014, “a fact that causes grief and concern” but also created the obligation for everyone to take part in tackling this serious social phenomenon.

Nicolaou said the day was one more chance to think about the problems faced by fellow citizens and join forces to tackle it.

“To reflect on the causes that lead to the evil and why it continues to rise and destroy the most valuable part of our society, our youths,” Nicolaou said. “We owe it to our children and the future of our society.”

The minister said the government’s policy in fighting the problem was comprehensive, featuring prevention and treatment programnes, and social reintegration of users. Special emphasis was put on stamping out illegal trafficking rings and bringing those involved to justice.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.