South Africa on Tuesday observed the International Day against Drugs Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to raise the national anti-drug awareness.

Drug Awareness Week was launched by the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) on Monday, which was to run through June 30, South African premier health website health24 reported on Tuesday.

The SANCA was established in 1956. "Drug Awareness week will focus on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and other drug dependence,"said the SANCA.

The SANCA said: "It is in line with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26."

On December7, 1987, the UN General Assembly decided to commemorate June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, with the expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

According to the UN report, nearly 200 million people in the world are using illicit drugs, such as cocaine, opiates and cannabis.

South Africa will join the international community in marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26 every year.

The SANCA stressed the drug abuses would cause the death of the abusers and damage,even ruin the families of the abusers , resulting at endangering the society.

The most common types of drugs used in the communities in South Africa include alcohol, cocaine, dagga and Mandrax.

"Currently a major concern is on the school youth, some of them have become drug abusers due to lack of the family guidance and school management,"the SANCA said.

According to the UN 2009 World Drug Report, the drug problem in South Africa was very serious, with an estimate of drug usage being twice the world norm in most cases.

Among the total population of approximately 50 million, about 15 percent of them have the drug problem, which will cost 20 billion rands (about $2.3 billion) or so every year.

Experts warned the drug problem will possibly pose a bigger threat to the country in the future than the AIDS pandemic if it could not be widely curbed.