UNODC TARGETS HIV/AIDS, DRUG ABUSE IN NEW RADIO SPOTS IN SPANISH

UNODC TARGETS HIV/AIDS, DRUG ABUSE IN NEW RADIO SPOTS IN SPANISH

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 22 March (UN Information Service) -- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today released new radio spots in Spanish to encourage authority figures to talk to youth about the dangerous links between HIV/AIDS and drugs.

“Drugs -- and injecting drug abuse -- have contributed substantially to the HIV epidemic”, said Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the UNODC. “UNODC is fully committed to supporting Member States in their fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS associated with drug abuse.”

These radio spots are the newest components of UNODC’s “Let’s talk about drugs” campaign, which was launched worldwide to urge parents, teachers, grandparents and other authority figures to talk to young people about drug abuse.  The UNODC has also published a fact sheet addressing the general issue of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse.

The radio spots are available at no cost and for unrestricted use by broadcasters.  The spots can be downloaded in MP3 format from the Internet at www.unodc.org.  CD-ROM versions can also be ordered at radiospots@unodc.org or by writing to:  UNODC, Advocacy Section, Vienna International Centre, Wagramer Strasse 5, A-1400 Vienna, Austria; fax:  (43-1) 26060-5931.

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