Today, within the framework of the 5th phase of the South Caucasus Anti Drug (SCAD) programme, Drug Rehabilitation Center at the Narcological Clinic of Psychiatric Medical Center of the Ministry of Health was officially opened. The Center has been renovated and furnished and equipped with the financial support of the SCAD-V programme, which is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Armenia. The Center will create an enabling environment for drug addicts to receive after-treatment psycho-social and legal support. It is anticipated that the Center will provide both individual and group counseling to marginalized patients, such as injecting drug users. The resource center and the library are other opportunities open to the patients receiving their treatment at the Narcological Clinic. Addressing the event, Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative said, “Drug addiction is an illness that can be prevented and treated. Early detection, greater prevention efforts, better treatment of addiction, and integration of drug treatment into public health and social services programs, can free people from the nightmare of addiction. Treating those who suffer from drugs is an investment in the health of Armenian nation as much as treating HIV, diabetes, hepatitis or Tuberculosis”. Establishment of this Center is another step of cooperation and partnership between the UNDP in Armenia, the EU and the Ministry of Health. In 2006, SCAD Programme, phase IV assisted in creation of Drug Detoxification Center at the Narcological Clinic, which currently provides drug-free detoxification treatment to opioids addicted people. The overall objective of the SCAD-V programme is the gradual adoption by South Caucasus beneficiary authorities of EU good practices in the field of drug policies. From 2007-09, the SCAD programme has encouraged the Governments of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to adopt EU good practices in five key areas: legal assistance, drug epidemiology/information, prevention of drug use, treatment for drug addicts, and reinforcement of regional law-enforcement cooperation. The programme will cover both supply and demand reduction aspects and will facilitate the implementation of drug related components of the Action Plans of the European Neighborhood Policy. The SCAD programme is anchored on the EU Drugs’ Strategy for 2005-12, which is based first and foremost on the fundamental principles of EU law and founding values of the European Union such as respect for human dignity and rule of law and protection of human rights. It aims to protect public health and takes an integrated approach to the drugs problem. The programme also carries out research, baseline studies on drug epidemiology aimed at the establishment of national drug information systems, trains treatment professionals on innovative methods of treatment and harm reduction, enhances regional cooperation between law-enforcement operational officers, and trains educators, mass media representatives and NGOs on primary drug prevention techniques. Provision of technical assistance for detoxification centers and forensic laboratories is another area of the programme activity.