[ 2000 ] Part 3 Chapter 14 International Drug Control

1174 Economic and social questions Chapter XIV International drug control During 2000, the United Nations, through the use of controlled drugs in many developed coun- Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the International tries and highlighted the scarce availability of Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the United narcotic drugs for medical needs in a number of Nations International Drug Control Programme developing countries. (UNDCP) of the Secretariat, continued to strengthen international cooperation and increase efforts to counter the world drug problem, in accordance Follow-up to the with the obligations of States under the United Nations drug control conventions, and on the ba- twentieth special session sis of the outcome of the General Assembly's twentieth special session, held in 1998. Activities fo- cused mainly on implementation of the 1999 In response to General Assembly resolution Action Plan for the Implementation of the Decla- 54/132 [YUN 1999, p. 1157], the Secretary-General, ration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand in a July report [A/55/126], presented an overview Reduction, which served as a guide to Member of the implementation of the outcome of the States in adopting strategies and programmes for twentieth special session of the General Assembly reducing illicit drug demand in order to achieve on the world drug problem, held in 1998 [YUN significant results by 2008. 1998, p. 1135], and of resolution 54/132, by which UNDCP stimulated action at the national, re- the Assembly adopted the Action Plan for the Im- gional and international levels through technical plementation of the Declaration on the Guiding cooperation programmes and supported the in- Principles of Drug Demand Reduction. The ternational community in implementing the Guiding Principles were adopted at the special strategy agreed upon by the Assembly at its special session [ibid., p. 1137]. The report reviewed 2003 session. It assisted States in complying with inter- and 2008 goals and targets, set by the special ses- national treaties and supported national efforts sion; the role of the Commission on Narcotic and initiatives to reduce or eliminate illicit cultiva- Drugs; the Action Plan for implementing the tion of narcotic crops through alternative develop- Declaration on the principles; elimination of il- ment and to strengthen national capacities in de- licit cultivation of the opium poppy, coca bush mand reduction and institution-building. and cannabis through alternative development; The Commission on Narcotic Drugs—the main measures to promote judicial cooperation; the UN policy-making body dealing with drug con- Action Plan against Illicit Manufacture, Traffick- trol—addressed a number of issues and adopted ing and Abuse of Amphetamine-type Stimulants resolutions on the reduction of the demand for il- and their Precursors [YUN 1998, p. 1139]; control of licit drugs, illicit drug trafficking and supply, and precursors; countering money-laundering; and the implementation of international treaties. In UNDCP as a catalyst for action by Member States July, the Economic and Social Council urged and the UN system. Governments to continue to contribute to main- In December [E/CN.7/2001/2], the UNDCP Ex- taining a balance between the licit supply of and ecutive Director submitted his first biennial re- demand for opiate raw materials for medical and port on the implementation of the outcome of scientific needs, and to prevent illicit production the special session. The report, prepared pursu- or diversion of opiate raw materials to illicit chan- ant to Commission resolution 42/11 [YUN 1999, nels. It also promoted the design of national and p. 1191], presented an analysis of the drug situation regional prevention programmes through an and described efforts by Governments to imple- interdisciplinary approach. ment the action plans and measures adopted by INCB continued to oversee the implementation the Assembly, drawing on information provided of the three major international drug control by Governments through biennial question- conventions, to analyse the drug situation world- naires. The report described the role of the Com- wide and to draw Governments' attention to mission in the implementation process; reviewed weaknesses in national control and treaty compli- global trends in drug abuse; and provided an ance. It examined the problem of the excessive overview of regional trends. International drug control 1175 (For information on follow-up of activities in well as in the number of children and young people specific areas, see below.) starting to use drugs at an earlier age and in their access to substances not previously used, Alarmed by the rapid and widespread increase in GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION the illicit manufacture, trafficking and consumption, On 4 December [meeting 81], the General As- in particular by young people, of synthetic drugs in sembly, on the recommendation of the Third (So- many countries and by the high probability that cial, Humanitarian and Cultural) Committee amphetamine-type stimulants, in particular metham- [A/55/594], adopted resolution 55/65 without phetamine and amphetamine, may become drugs of vote [agenda item 106]. choice among abusers in the twenty-first century, Deeply convinced that the special session made a sig- International cooperation against nificant contribution to a new comprehensive frame- the world drug problem work for international cooperation, based on an The General Assembly, integrated and balanced approach with strategies, Recalling its resolutions 52/92 of 12 December 1997, measures, methods, practical activities, goals and spe- 53/115 of 9 December 1998 and 54/132 of 17 December cific targets to be met, that all States, the United Na- 1999, tions system and other international organizations Reaffirming its commitment to the outcome of the must implement them with concrete actions and that twentieth special session of the General Assembly de- the international financial institutions, such as the voted to countering the world drug problem together, World Bank, and the regional development banks held in New York from 8 to 10 June 1998, and welcom- should be invited to include action against the world ing the continued determination of Governments to drug problem in their programmes, taking into ac- overcome the world drug problem by a full and bal- count the priorities of States, anced application of national, regional and interna- Reaffirming the importance of the commitments of tional strategies to reduce the demand for, production Member States in meeting the objectives targeted for of and trafficking in illicit drugs, as reflected in the 2003 and 2008, as set out in the Political Declaration Political Declaration, the Action Plan for the Imple- adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth spe- mentation of the Declaration on the Guiding Princi- cial session, and welcoming the guidelines for report- ples of Drug Demand Reduction and the measures to ing on the follow-up to the twentieth special session enhance international cooperation to counter the adopted by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its re- world drug problem, convened forty-second session, Gravely concerned that, despite continued increased Emphasizing the importance of the Action Plan for efforts by States, relevant international organizations, the Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding civil society and non-governmental organizations, the Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, which intro- drug problem is still a challenge of a global dimension, duces a global approach, recognizing a new balance be- which constitutes a serious threat to the health, safety tween illicit supply and demand reduction, under the and well-being of all mankind, in particular young principle of shared responsibility, aims at preventing people, in all countries, undermines development, in- the use of drugs and at reducing the adverse conse- cluding efforts to reduce poverty, socio-economic and quences of drug abuse, ensuring that special attention political stability and democratic institutions, entails is paid to vulnerable groups, in particular children and an increasing economic cost for Governments, also young people, and constitutes one of the pillars of the threatens the national security and sovereignty of new global strategy, and reaffirming the need for de- States, as well as the dignity and hope of millions of mand reduction programmes, people and their families, and causes irreparable loss Emphasizing equally the importance of supply reduc- of human lives, tion as an integral part of a balanced drug control strat- Concerned that the demand for, production of and egy under the principles enshrined in the Action Plan trafficking in illicit drugs and psychotropic substances on International Cooperation on the Eradication of continue to threaten seriously the socio-economic and Illicit Drug Crops and on Alternative Development, re- political systems, stability, national security and sover- affirming the need for alternative development pro- eignty of many States, especially those involved in con- grammes that are sustainable, welcoming the achieve- flicts and wars, and that trafficking in drugs could ments of some States on their way to eradicating illicit make conflict resolution more difficult, drug crops, and inviting all other States to make similar Deeply alarmed by the violence and economic power efforts, of criminal organizations and terrorist groups engaged Underlining the role of the Commission on Narcotic in

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