With over one lakh drug overdose deaths being reported in the country last year alone, the United States has launched a global coalition of over a hundred countries to fight the menace of synthetic drugs, Robert Leventhal, Chief of Division of Global Policy and Programs Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. State Department, has said.
Mr. Leventhal was speaking to The Hindu on his visit to Kochi to deliver a talk at the 16th edition of cOcOn, an international hacking and cybersecurity conference organised by the Kerala Police.
“While plant-based drugs like heroin, cocaine, and cannabis continue to be a big issue, we are seeing more and more of synthetic drugs, including in the U.S. The challenge posed by synthetic drugs is likely to only grow. It is not just a criminal justice or security threat alone, but a public health threat and calls for multi-sector responses,” he said.
