During a high-level drug policy meeting in Vienna, Antigua and Barbuda’s Director of the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP), Colonel Edward Croft, called for urgent action to address substance use disorders among women.
Speaking at a side event of the 68th United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) last week, Colonel Croft said countries across the Americas are failing to adequately confront the issue due to societal denial and lack of political will.
“I think we must be honest and acknowledge that the issue is overlooked because our countries are either in denial that a problem exists among our female populations, or we’re unwilling to make the effort to put meaningful interventions in place,” said Croft, who serves as this year’s chair of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD).
The side event, titled “Treatment of Substance Use Disorders in Women in the Americas”, examined treatment barriers and policy approaches across Organization of American States member countries.
Ambassador Adam Namm, Executive Secretary of CICAD, opened the session with data showing that globally only one in 18 women with substance use disorders receives treatment services, compared to one in seven men.
Croft detailed how cultural perceptions of women as family nurturers create substantial barriers to treatment when substance use disorders develop.
“This denial has become firmly rooted and compounded by the judgment of their behaviors when women are diagnosed with substance use disorders,” he said, adding that “women seek interventions for this disease much later than men.”
He identified healthcare providers’ attitudes as a critical obstacle, noting they serve as the first point of contact for women seeking help.
“The Demand Reduction Unit has learned from its stigma programme that one of the major impediments to women seeking care is the attitude of healthcare providers. This must change,” Colonel Croft said.
Speaking specifically about Caribbean progress, he reported that the region has increased from one dedicated women’s treatment facility to five over the past decade.
He also emphasized that this represented limited progress, and that “we still have a long way to go with regard to enhancing the services offered”.
Betty Hunte, Manager of Barbados’ National Council on Substance Abuse and Chair of CICAD’s Experts Group on Demand Reduction, presented research identifying barriers including concerns about children, lack of family support, stigma, and treatment facility characteristics.
Representatives from Chile, El Salvador, and Brazil shared initiatives implementing gender-sensitive approaches, with Brazil’s National Secretariat on Drug Policies launching a comprehensive strategy that included funding for grassroots organizations working with women who use drugs.
In his concluding remarks, Colonel Croft underscored the broader societal implications of addressing women’s treatment needs effectively.
“Let us all remember that the health of our women is inextricably interwoven in the health and well-being of our families, communities, and countries,” he said. “We must therefore not shirk or compromise our responsibility to step up, stand up and ensure the availability of the best services possible.”
