On the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, stakeholders across the Dominican Republic have advanced complementary but distinct calls to action around national drug policy, highlighting growing momentum to reframe addiction as a public health issue rather than a criminal justice problem.
Leading the advocacy push is Hogar Crea Dominicano, a leading non-profit dedicated to supporting people struggling with substance use disorders. The organization marked the international observance with two public commemorative events: a community awareness walk through the capital of Santo Domingo, and a solemn floral tribute laid at the iconic Altar of the Fatherland. Beyond these observances, Hogar Crea’s leadership has issued an urgent appeal to the Dominican national government for increased public funding to expand treatment access. The organization says additional financial resources are critical to building new care facilities that can accommodate the growing number of people seeking support for addiction recovery.
In a repeated, clear message to policymakers and the public, Hogar Crea’s director emphasized that people who use substances should not be marginalized or penalized as criminals, but treated with compassion as patients managing a chronic health condition. This framing aligns with global guidance from the International Drug Policy Consortium, an independent global policy network that has long pushed for reformed drug laws. The consortium echoed the non-profit’s call, stressing that policy should center support for people who use drugs rather than punitive measures that push addiction underground and block access to life-saving care.
While reform advocates push for a public health-centered approach to addiction, Dominican law enforcement agencies are reaffirming their commitment to cracking down on the supply side of the drug trade. The National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), the country’s lead anti-drug agency, reiterated that it will sustain and intensify targeted operations to dismantle transnational and domestic drug trafficking networks that bring illicit substances into the country. Alongside its enforcement work, the DNCD also issued a public appeal to Dominican families, urging households to maintain open, active supervision of young people and provide consistent guidance to prevent youth substance use before it develops into addiction.