Modern Legal Policy of Combating Drug Trafficking in the USA: Forensic and Pharmaceutical Research on the Use of Experience to Combat Drug Crime and Addiction Among Youth and Minors in Ukraine

The article examines contemporary patterns of narcotic drug use in Ukraine and worldwide among individuals aged 15 and older, documenting a sustained upward trajectory in overall consumption. Concern is raised about earlier age of initiation and the rapid proliferation of synthetic psychotropic substances, which substantially elevate risks to population health, including overdose, co-morbid mental disorders, and infectious complications. The analysis identifies interacting aggravating factors: the conditions of martial law, cumulative socio-economic losses, population displacement, disrupted access to services, and persistently insufficient preventive work in schools and communities. In response, the article outlines a comprehensive set of countermeasures: strengthening criminal liability for the sale of drugs to minors and youth; establishing a national coordinating body to unify policy, surveillance, and service delivery; and scaling evidence-based prevention and rehabilitation programs across regions. Emphasis is placed on integrated harm-reduction services, real-time epidemiological monitoring, and cross-sector collaboration among health care, education, social protection, and law enforcement to ensure continuity of care during and after wartime disruptions. A central policy reference is the “Drug Policy Strategy until 2030,” adopted in 2025, which commits Ukraine to a systematic, evidence-based, and patient-oriented approach to addiction treatment, the development of prevention and rehabilitation, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and guaranteed access to essential medicines. Effective implementation of the strategy is expected to reduce psychoactive-substance consumption, curb illicit trafficking, and protect human rights, aligning national efforts with international standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while building resilient, community-anchored responses.