The Moldovan authorities are preparing a new strategy in the field of drugs and addictions for 2026–2032. For the first time, government policy in this area will concern not only illegal drugs, but also alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarettes, gambling, video games and problematic use of the digital environment. NM tells why the authorities decided to expand the approach, what threats they consider the main ones and how they propose to change the system of assistance, accounting and criminal policy.
Why a new strategy was needed
The draft national strategy on drugs and addictions for 2026–2032 was developed by the Ministry of Health. Document submitted for public consultations, which will last until July 7. The explanatory note to the project states that the problem of addictions in Moldova is no longer limited only to illegal drug use. It also includes the use of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, as well as addictive behavior associated with gambling, video games and problematic use of the digital environment.
The authors of the document note that the new strategy considers all forms of addictions comprehensively – in accordance with modern European and international approaches based on the principles of public and mental health. The document states that the strategy should provide a modern framework for responding to the challenges posed by both drug use and other forms of addiction affecting health, safety, well-being and social development.
Are there more drug users?
According to the Republican Narcological Dispensary, in 2024, 545 new drug users were registered, and in 2025 – already 704. The total number of people registered with drug treatment during this period increased from 12,140 to 12,412. The strategy emphasizes that the growth can be associated not only with a real increase in consumption, but also with changes in detection and reporting. At the same time, the authors of the document call a sharp increase in new cases in 2025 an “epidemiological signal.”
In addition to drug registration data, the strategy also provides estimated indicators. According to calculations based on WHO methodology, carried out as part of the integrated biobehavioral study IBBS 2024, about 21.8 thousand people inject drugs in Moldova. Of these, 18.4 thousand live on the Right Bank of the Dniester, another 3.3 thousand live on the Left Bank.
The estimated number of people who inject opiates is 9.39 thousand – about 43% of all injecting drug users. Among this group, the prevalence of HIV reaches 16.7%, and hepatitis C – 42.6%. In addition, according to 2022 estimates, about 50 thousand people across the country use drugs in a non-injecting way.
Separately, the document talks about mortality. In 2024, there were 168 drug-related deaths among people who use drugs and are under medical supervision. In 2023, there were 94 such cases. However, the authors of the strategy warn that the actual figures may be higher: post-mortem toxicological studies are paid and optional, so they are often carried out only in cases of obvious suspicion.
The strategy names new psychoactive substances as one of the main threats. The document states that the drug market in Moldova is increasingly shifting towards synthetic substances, which are gradually replacing “classic” drugs. According to the strategy, over the past two years, the share of crimes related to new psychoactive substances has exceeded 70% of all anti-drug cases.
The “contactless” distribution of drugs remains a serious problem – through online stores, encrypted messengers and geolocated bookmarks. As an example, the strategy cites an operation in Ungheni in May 2025, when law enforcement officers seized 4.5 kg of Alpha-PVP. According to the investigation, the drug was sold through Telegram, and the cost of the shipment was estimated at 2.5 million lei.
New dependencies in the strategy
The main difference of the new strategy is the expansion of the very framework of public policy. If previously it concerned illegal drugs, now different forms of addictions are combined in one document: drugs, alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, gambling, video games and problematic use of the digital environment.
The document paid significant attention to tobacco and nicotine products. According to the STEPS 2021 study, 29.9% of the population of Moldova actively smoke. Among men this figure is 52%, among women – 7.7%. The strategy states that every year in Moldova more than 5.2 thousand people die due to smoking and exposure to toxic emissions from tobacco and related products.
Authorities especially note the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes among teenagers. According to the ESPAD 2024 study, 44% of schoolchildren aged 15-16 said they had tried e-cigarettes at least once in their lives, and 17% had used them in the last 30 days. Another 14% of students reported that they started using e-cigarettes at age 13 or earlier.
A separate block is dedicated to alcohol. According to WHO estimates, Moldova remains among the countries with high levels of alcohol consumption – 12.9 liters of pure alcohol per adult per year. According to STEPS 2021, 63.2% of the Moldovan population consumes alcohol. In cities this figure is 68.2%, in villages – 57.8%. The document also states the high prevalence of unregistered alcohol – 47.2%.
Another new block for the state strategy is digital dependencies. According to ESPAD 2024, 66% of schoolchildren in Moldova said they played video games at least once in the last month. The paper states that such games may engage minors in the reward mechanisms associated with gambling and increase the risk of later developing gambling addiction. At the same time, the authors of the strategy admit that the study does not contain detailed data on the prevalence of problem gaming and gambling among schoolchildren in Moldova, therefore, they want to determine the national baseline value by 2028, and reduce it by 2032.
Accounting, treatment and criminal policy
In helping people with addiction, the strategy emphasizes earlier identification of problems, expanding services and reducing barriers to help-seeking. One of the directions is the modernization of the drug registration mechanism. The document says its mandatory nature and possible discriminatory effects could prevent people from seeking health care and social reintegration. The authors of the strategy propose to revise this system so that people do not avoid help for fear of being registered and facing restrictions.
Another direction is the transition from a reactive system to early identification and prevention of risks. The strategy envisages the creation of a national early warning and assessment system for unclassified psychoactive substances. You can read more about it Here.
Separately, the document proposes to integrate addiction care with the mental health system. Now, as the authors of the strategy admit, the system does not respond well enough to polyconsumption, psychiatric comorbidities and new digital forms of addiction.
The strategy also notes that treatment of nicotine addiction is not yet included in the system of reimbursed drugs, although tobacco and nicotine products remain one of the main preventable causes of morbidity and mortality.
The strategy identifies women and children as groups for whom the current assistance system is not sufficiently adapted. For women, barriers include greater stigma, fear of losing custody of children, family responsibilities, economic vulnerability, violence, trauma and a lack of services that simultaneously address addiction, mental health, social protection and parenting. For children, the document proposes to develop specialized outpatient services, crisis assistance, family counseling and reintegration into the education system.
Another block concerns the penitentiary system. The strategy states that prisons remain a distinct epidemiological environment, where drug use and associated diseases are more pronounced than in the wider community. At the same time, Moldova is already one of the few countries where syringe exchange programs and opioid agonist therapy operate in penitentiary institutions. The document proposes strengthening continuity of care before, during and after incarceration so that treatment and support continue after release.
Another general goal of the strategy is related to reducing the risks caused by drug use. The document says the current approach mainly focuses on drug users rather than organized trafficking networks. Authorities want to reduce the individual, social and environmental risks associated with drug and other substance use through strengthening systems of evidence-based and human rights-based interventions.
According to the authors of the document, law enforcement agencies and courts spend significant resources on the cases of people who primarily need prevention, assistance, treatment and rehabilitation. At the same time, the effectiveness of the fight against drug trafficking and smuggling remains limited.
The strategy also contains recommendations from international experts to revise the Criminal Code and eliminate criminal prosecution for possession of drugs intended exclusively for personal use, without the purpose of sale. The strategy itself, the document says, “guides a shift from criminal penalties for use towards referral mechanisms, life-saving interventions and social inclusion measures.”
How much will they spend to implement the strategy and when to expect changes
They plan to finance the strategy from the state budget and through external assistance. The explanatory note states that specific costs will be determined in subsequent action plans. The implementation of the strategy will be divided into two stages: from 2027 to 2029 and from 2030 to 2032. For each stage, separate action plans will be prepared with specific measures, responsible institutions and necessary resources.
By 2032, authorities expect to reduce the number of drug-related deaths from 168 to no more than 100. The prevalence of HIV among people who use drugs is planned to be reduced from 16.7% to 14%, and hepatitis C from 42.6% to 30%. The authorities want to increase treatment coverage for people with opioid addiction from 8% in 2025 to 35% by 2032.
Other goals include reducing alcohol use among adults from 63.2% to 50% and among teenagers from 49% to 40%. They want to reduce the use of tobacco and related products among adults from 29.9% to 20%, and among adolescents from 16.3% to 10%.
In addition, by 2032, authorities plan to introduce comprehensive prevention programs in 75% of schools and create four specialized outpatient services for children with problematic substance use and addictions.
The strategy also calls for the proportion of people who use drugs involved in drug-related offenses and identified in court records to be referred to alternatives to custodial measures to increase from 0% to 20% by 2028 and to 30% by 2032.
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