Pope Francis has condemned the “scourge of drug use”, calling drug an addiction “an evil” and speaking against the legalisation of “recreational drugs”. Addressing leaders of anti-drug agencies around the world at the end of the 31st International Drug Enforcement Conference in Rome, Pope Francis expressed his “grief and concern” over drugs. He said: “With evil, there can be no yielding or compromise. To think that harm can be reduced by permitting drug addicts to use narcotics,” he said, “in no way resolves the problem.” Substitute drugs, he affirmed, “are not an adequate therapy but rather a veiled means of surrendering to the problem…no to every type of drug use!” He deplored the commerce “which transcends national and continental borders,” leading to the “inexorable” spread of drug use and applauded the work of government agencies in stopping it. To say “no” to drugs, Pope Francis pointed out, one has to say “yes” to life, love, others, education and job opportunities. “If we say ‘yes’ to all these things, there will be no room for illicit drugs, for alcohol abuse, for other forms of addiction.”