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VIENNA/ROME, June 26-- Addressing the world drug problem requires responses that are based on facts, solidarity and compassion, said the chief of the Vienna-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Friday. Some 35.6 million people suffer from drug use disorders globally, said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, quoting the "World Drug Report 2020" released on Thursday. "Adolescents and young adults account for the largest share of those using drugs. Of the 11 million people who inject drugs, half of them are living with hepatitis C, and 1.4 million with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)," she said. Only one out of eight people who need drug-related treatment receives it, she added. The executive director pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation, overwhelming health systems and exposing the fragility of institutions and social safety nets. The theme of this year's international day, "Better Knowledge for Better Care," highlights the need to understand drug dynamics trapping so many people in a downward spiral, and to inform balanced solutions based on scientific evidence, said Waly. She called on all countries to shoulder shared responsibility to tackle illicit drug supply and reduce demand. HEAVY LOSS IN ITALY In Italy alone, the war on drugs costs Italy 22 billion euros (24.7 billion U.S. dollars) per year in lost revenue, according to a new report released Friday under the terms of Italy's Jervolino-Vassalli law, which is at the base of the country's drug policy. | 
