The first meeting of the interdepartmental working group for the development of the strategy took place in Chisinau.
Drug demand reduction will be achieved through educational programs, information campaigns and life skills development among young people. Supply reduction involves combating organized crime and strengthening international cooperation. At the same time, risk reduction for users is ensured by coordinating the work of law enforcement agencies, the health care system and social services.
The development of the strategy is supported by the Council of Europe in the framework of a project implemented by the Secretariat of the Pompidou Group.
Last week, the Union of Lawyers of Moldova joined the campaign to inform schoolchildren about the risks of drugs. The first lecture was held at the gymnasium in the village of Belanesti, Nisporeni district. Judge Ion Chirtoaca gave an hour and a half talk to the pupils on their rights and obligations, as well as on the legal and medical consequences of drug use. He will continue to give similar lectures on Fridays.
As Logos Press has already written, more than 12 thousand drug users are officially registered in Moldova, but these are only those who are registered. The real number is unknown. The main part of users are people aged 25-35, mostly men. Among minors, 50 systematic registered users have been identified. The share of drug-related crimes is also growing. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the first 10 months of 2025, more than 1,000 criminal cases were opened, and the number of administrative offenses reached 3,700.
Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban proposed to introduce drug testing for students over 13 years old in the capital’s schools – at the request of parents. The idea drew criticism from the central government. “The situation has become catastrophic, and according to the data presented by the health ministry itself, the figures are alarming – about 50,000 people use drugs in Moldova,” said Ceban, who did the analysis himself and presented a negative result.
According to the European Commission report, Moldova has become a transit country for drug trafficking. This transit also affects the domestic market, especially for synthetic drugs, which are cheaper to produce but quickly addictive.
Against the background of high-profile cases of drug trafficking, some of which were directed to EU countries, Tiraspol recently approached Chisinau with a proposal to resume the joint work of law enforcement agencies.
