“Flexible for addicts, tough on drug trade”: Tokayev chairs Security Council meeting

Tengrinews.kz - President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired a Security Council meeting on combating drug abuse.
The meeting heard reports from Interior Minister Yerzhan Sadenov, National Security Committee Chairman Yermek Sagimbayev, Healthcare Minister Akmaral Alnazarova, and Financial Monitoring Agency Chairman Zhanat Elimanov.
Tokayev noted that the spread of this social ill is becoming increasingly alarming both in Kazakhstan and internationally.

“Drug abuse destroys society, robs many young people of their future, and poses a direct threat to the nation’s health. Global trends in drug addiction and the drug trade are worrying. Many governments now see this issue not only as a matter of physical and psychological dependence but also as a broad social, economic, and legal problem. The term ‘narcotism’ reflects this broader approach,” Tokayev said.

According to him, experts and scholars point out that “narcotism” is a broader concept than addiction alone — it touches on a wide range of social, economic, and legal issues, including aspects of national security.
The president stressed the need to address the insufficient access drug-dependent individuals have to medical and rehabilitation services.

“Many drug users and their families hide their problem out of fear of exposure and judgment,” he added.

It was emphasized that the state’s policy should be flexible toward addicts but tough and uncompromising toward the drug trade.
Another priority, Tokayev said, is improving information and analytical work — including collecting and processing statistical data and tracking the movement of chemical substances.
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