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 strength- en 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 twen- tieth 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 drug-trafficking activities and other criminal activi- Drugs as the principal United Nations policy-making ties, such as money-laundering and illicit traffic in body on drug control issues, the leadership role and arms, precursors and essential chemicals, and by the commendable work of the United Nations Interna- increasing transnational links between them, and rec- tional Drug Control Programme as the main focus for ognizing the need for international cooperation and concerted multilateral action and the important role implementation of effective strategies on the basis of of the International Narcotics Control Board as an the outcome of the twentieth special session of the Gen- independent monitoring authority, as set out in the in- eral Assembly, which are essential to achieving results ternational drug control treaties, against all forms of transnational criminal activities, Recognizing the efforts of all countries, in particular Noting with grave concern the global increase in the those that produce narcotic drugs for scientific and use of minors in the illicit production of and traffick- medical purposes, and of the International Narcotics ing in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, as Control Board in preventing the diversion of such sub- 1176 Economic and social questions stances to illicit markets and in maintaining produc- 3. Urges all States to ratify or accede to and imple- tion at a level consistent with licit demand, in line with ment all the provisions of the Single Convention on the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Proto- the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, col, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 Recognizing also that the problem of the illicit pro- and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traf- duction of and trafficking in narcotic drugs and psy- fic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of chotropic substances is often related to development 1988; problems and that those links and the promotion of the economic development of countries affected by II the illicit drug trade require, within the context of International cooperation to counter shared responsibility, appropriate measures, including the world drug problem strengthened international cooperation in support of 1. Welcomes the renewed commitment made in the alternative and sustainable development activities, in United Nations Millennium Declaration to counter the the affected areas of those countries, that have as their world drug problem; objectives the reduction and elimination of illicit drug 2. Urges competent authorities, at the international, production, regional and national levels, to implement the outcome Stressing that respect for all human rights is and must of the twentieth special session, within the agreed time be an essential component of measures taken to ad- frames, in particular the high-priority practical meas- dress the drug problem, ures at the international, regional or national level, as Ensuring that women and men benefit equally, and indicated in the Political Declaration, the Action Plan without any discrimination, from strategies directed for the Implementation of the Declaration on the against the world drug problem, through their involve- Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction and ment in all stages of programmes and policy-making, the measures to enhance international cooperation to Recognizing that the use of the Internet poses new counter the world drug problem, including the Action opportunities and challenges to international co- Plan against Illicit Manufacture, Trafficking and operation in countering drug abuse and illicit produc- Abuse of Amphetamine-type Stimulants and Their tion and trafficking, and recognizing also the need for Precursors, the measures to prevent the illicit manufac- increased cooperation among States and the exchange ture, import, export, trafficking, distribution and di- of information, including with reference to national version of precursors used in the illicit manufacture of experiences, on how to counter the promotion of drug narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, the meas- abuse and illicit drug trafficking through this instru- ures to promote judicial cooperation, the measures to ment and on ways to use the Internet for information counter money-laundering and the Action Plan on In- concerning drug demand reduction, ternational Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Convinced that civil society, including non- Drug Crops and on Alternative Development; governmental organizations and community-based or- 3. Urges all Member States to implement the Action ganizations, should continue to play an active role and Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the make an effective contribution to countering the world Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction in drug problem, their respective national, regional and international ac- Acknowledging with appreciation the increased efforts tions and to strengthen their national efforts to counter and achievements of many States, relevant interna- the abuse of illicit drugs among their population, in tional organizations, civil society and non-governmental particular among children and young people; organizations in countering drug abuse and illicit pro- 4. Recognizes the role of the United Nations Inter- duction of and trafficking in drugs, and that interna- national Drug Control Programme in developing tional cooperation has shown that positive results can action-oriented strategies to assist Member States in be achieved through sustained and collective efforts, the implementation of the Declaration, and requests I the Executive Director of the United Nations Interna- Respect for the principles enshrined in the tional Drug Control Programme to report to the Com- Charter of the United Nations and international mission on Narcotic Drugs at its forty-fourth session on law in countering the world drug problem the follow-up to the Action Plan; 1. Reaffirms that countering the world drug prob- 5. Reaffirms its resolve to continue to strengthen the lem is a common and shared responsibility which must United Nations machinery for international drug con- be addressed in a multilateral setting, requiring an in- trol, in particular the United Nations International tegrated and balanced approach, and must be carried Drug Control Programme, and the International Nar- out in full conformity with the purposes and principles cotics Control Board in order to enable them to fulfil of the Charter of the United Nations and international their mandates, bearing in mind the recommendations law, and in particular with full respect for the sover- contained in Economic and Social Council resolution eignty and territorial integrity of States, the principle 1999/30 of 28 July 1999, and notes the measures taken of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States and by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its forty-third all human rights and fundamental freedoms; session aimed at the enhancement of its functioning; 2. Calls upon all States to take further action to pro- 6. Renews its commitment to further strengthening mote effective cooperation at the international and re- international cooperation and substantially increasing gional levels in the efforts to counter the world drug efforts to counter the world drug problem, in accord- problem so as to contribute to a climate conducive to ance with the obligations of States under the United achieving that end, on the basis of the principles of Nations drug control conventions, on the basis of the equal rights and mutual respect; general framework given by the Global Programme of International drug control 1177

Action, and the outcome of the special session, and 12. Calls upon all States to report biennially to the taking into account experience gained; Commission on Narcotic Drugs on their efforts to meet 7. Calls upon all States to adopt effective measures, the goals and targets for 2003 and 2008, as set out in the including national laws and regulations, to implement Political Declaration adopted at the special session, in the mandates and recommendations of the Global Pro- accordance with the terms established in the guide- gramme of Action and the outcome and the goals of lines adopted by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at the special session, within the agreed time frame, to its reconvened forty-second session; strengthen national judicial systems and to carry out 13. Welcomes the decision of the Commission on effective drug control activities in cooperation with Narcotic Drugs to submit a report to the General As- other States in accordance with those international in- sembly in 2003 and 2008 on the progress achieved in struments; meeting the goals and targets set out in the Political 8. Calls upon the relevant United Nations bodies, Declaration; the specialized agencies, the international financial 14. Encourages the Commission on Narcotic Drugs institutions and other concerned intergovernmental and the International Narcotics Control Board to con- and international organizations, within their man- tinue their useful work on the control of precursors dates, and all actors of civil society, notably non- and other chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of governmental organizations, community-based or- narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; ganizations, sports associations, the media and the 15. Calls upon the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to private sector, to continue their close cooperation with mainstream a gender perspective into all its policies, Governments in their efforts to promote and imple- programmes and activities, and requests the Secre- ment the Global Programme of Action, the outcome of tariat to integrate a gender perspective into all docu- the special session and the Action Plan for the Imple- mentation prepared for the Commission; mentation of the Declaration on the Guiding Princi- 16. Recalls the World Programme of Action for ples of Drug Demand Reduction, including through Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond adopted by the public information campaigns, resorting, inter alia, General Assembly on 14 December 1995, notes with sat- where available, to the Internet; isfaction the commitment of young people to a drug- 9. Urges Governments, the relevant United Nations free society made at various forums, and stresses the bodies, the specialized agencies and other interna- importance of young people continuing to contribute tional organizations to assist and support States, upon their experiences and to participate in the decision- request, in particular developing countries in need of making processes and, in particular, putting into effect such assistance and support, with the aim of enhancing the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declara- their capacity to counter illicit trafficking of narcotic tion on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Re- drugs and psychotropic substances, taking into account duction; national plans and initiatives, and emphasizes the im- 17. Urges all States to assign priority to activities portance of subregional, regional and international aimed at preventing drug and inhalant abuse among cooperation in countering illicit drug trafficking; children and young people, inter alia, through the pro- 10. Reaffirms that preventing the diversion of motion of information and education programmes chemicals from legitimate commerce to illicit drug aimed at raising awareness of the risks of drug abuse manufacture is an essential component of a compre- with a view to giving effect to the Action Plan for the hensive strategy against drug abuse and trafficking, Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding which requires the effective cooperation of exporting, Principles of Drug Demand Reduction; importing and transit States, notes the progress made 18. Calls upon States to adopt effective measures, in- in developing practical guidelines to prevent such cluding possible national legislative measures, and to diversion of chemicals, including those of the Interna- enhance cooperation to stem the illicit trade in small tional Narcotics Control Board and the recommenda- arms, which, as a result of its close link to the illicit drug tions on implementing article 12 of the 1988 Conven- trade, is generating extremely high levels of crime and tion, and calls upon all States to adopt and implement violence within the societies of some States, threatening measures to prevent the diversion of chemicals to illicit the national security and the economies of those States; drug manufacture, in cooperation with competent in- 19. Welcomes the elaboration of the United Nations ternational and regional bodies and, if necessary and Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, to the extent possible, with the private sector in each and notes the progress achieved in the elaboration of State, in accordance with the objectives targeted for the three related international instruments, within the 2003 and 2008 in the Political Declaration and the reso- framework of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elabora- lution on the control of precursors adopted at the spe- tion of a Convention against Transnational Organized cial session; Crime; 11. Calls upon States in which cultivation and pro- 20. Acknowledges the efforts made by Member States, the United Nations International Drug Control duction of illicit drug crops occur to establish or rein- Programme and the United Nations system during force, where appropriate, national mechanisms to the United Nations Decade against Drug Abuse, monitor and verify illicit crops, and requests the Ex- 1991-2000, under the theme "A global response to a ecutive Director of the United Nations International global challenge"; Drug Control Programme to report to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its forty-fourth session, in March III 2001, on the follow-up to the Action Plan on Interna- Action by the United Nations system tional Cooperation on the Eradication of Illicit Drug 1. Reaffirms the role of the Executive Director of the Crops and on Alternative Development; United Nations International Drug Control Pro- 1178 Economic and social questions gramme in coordinating and providing effective lead- an updated, objective and comprehensive assessment ership for all United Nations drug control activities so of worldwide trends in illicit traffic and transit in nar- as to increase cost-effectiveness and ensure coherence cotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including of action, as well as coordination, complementarity methods and routes used, and to recommend ways and and non-duplication of such activities throughout the means of improving the capacity of States along those United Nations system; routes to deal with all aspects of the drug problem; 2. Emphasizes that the multidimensional nature of (e) To publish the World Drug Report, with compre- the world drug problem calls for the promotion of inte- hensive and balanced information about the world gration and coordination of drug control activities drug problem, and to seek additional extrabudgetary throughout the United Nations system, including in resources for its publication in all official languages; the follow-up to major United Nations conferences; 4. Urges all Governments to provide the fullest pos- 3. Invites Governments and the United Nations In- sible financial and political support to the Programme ternational Drug Control Programme to attach high by widening its donor base and increasing voluntary priority to the improvement of the coordination of contributions, in particular general-purpose contribu- United Nations activities related to the world drug tions, to enable it to continue, expand and strengthen problem so as to avoid duplication of such activities, its operational and technical cooperation activities; strengthen efficiency and accomplish the goals ap- 5. Calls upon the International Narcotics Control proved by Governments; Board to increase efforts to implement all its mandates 4. Urges the specialized agencies, programmes and under international drug control conventions and to funds, including humanitarian organizations, and in- continue to cooperate with Governments, inter alia, by vites multilateral financial institutions, to include ac- offering advice to Member States that request it; tion against the world drug problem in their program- 6. Notes that the Board needs sufficient resources to ming and planning processes in order to ensure that carry out all its mandates, and therefore urges Member the integral and balanced strategy that emerged from States to commit themselves in a common effort to as- the special session devoted to countering the world signing adequate and sufficient budgetary resources to drug problem together is being addressed; the Board, in accordance with Economic and Social IV Council resolution 1996/20 of 23 July 1996, and em- United Nations International Drug Control Programme phasizes the need to maintain its capacity, inter alia, 1. Welcomes the efforts of the United Nations Inter- through the provision of appropriate means by the national Drug Control Programme to implement its Secretary-General and adequate technical support by mandate within the framework of the international the Programme; drug control treaties, the Comprehensive Multidisci- 7. Stresses the importance of the meetings of Heads plinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, in all Control, the Global Programme of Action, the out- regions of the world, and the Subcommission on Illicit come of the special session of the General Assembly de- Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Mid- voted to countering the world drug problem together dle East of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and and relevant consensus documents; encourages them to continue to contribute to the 2. Expresses its appreciation to the Programme for the strengthening of regional and international co- support provided to different States in meeting the ob- operation, taking into account the outcome of the spe- jectives of the Global Programme of Action and of the cial session; special session, especially in cases where significant 8. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General, and anticipated progress was achieved regarding the and, taking into account the promotion of integrated objectives targeted for 2003 and 2008; reporting, requests the Secretary-General to submit to 3. Requests the Programme to continue: the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session a com- (a) To strengthen cooperation with Member States prehensive report on the implementation of the out- and with United Nations programmes, funds and rele- come of the twentieth special session, including on the vant agencies, as well as relevant regional organizations Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration and agencies and non-governmental organizations, on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, and to provide, on request, assistance in implementing and the present resolution. the outcome of the special session; (b) To allocate, while keeping the balance between Millennium Assembly and Summit supply and demand reduction programmes, adequate resources to allow it to fulfil its role in the implementa- tion of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug De- On 27 July [meeting 43], the Economic and Social mand Reduction; Council, on the recommendation of the Commis- (c) To strengthen dialogue and cooperation with sion on Narcotic Drugs [E/2000/28], adopted reso- multilateral development banks and with international lution 2000/16 without vote [agenda item 14 (d)]. financial institutions so that they may undertake lend- ing and programming activities related to drug control Inclusion of international drug control as a topic in interested and affected countries to implement the for the Millennium Assembly of the United Nations outcome of the special session, and to keep the Com- and the Millennium Summit of the United Nations mission on Narcotic Drugs informed of further pro- The Economic and Social Council, gress made in this area; Recalling that the General Assembly, at its twentieth (d) To take into account the outcome of the special special session, devoted to countering the world drug session, to include in its report on illicit traffic in drugs problem together, held in New York from 8 to 10 June International drug control 1179

1998, reaffirmed the unwavering determination and 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances commitment of Member States to overcoming the world [YUN 1971, p. 380]; and the 1988 United Nations drug problem through domestic and international Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic strategies to reduce both the illicit supply of and the de- mand for drugs, and recognized that action against the Drugs and Psychotropic Substances [YUN 1988, world drug problem is a common and shared responsi- p. 690]. bility requiring an integrated and balanced approach As at 31 December 2000,161 States were parties with full respect for the sovereignty of States, to the 1961 Convention, as amended by the 1972 Recalling also that the General Assembly, in its resolu- Protocol. During the year, the Comoros, Georgia, tion 53/202 of 17 December 1998, decided to designate Maldives and San Marino became parties. its fifty-fifth session as "The Millennium Assembly of the United Nations" and to convene a Millennium The number of parties to the 1971 Convention Summit of the United Nations, stood at 167 as at 31 December 2000. The Como- Noting that the Secretary-General, in response to the ros, Iran, Kenya, Maldives, San Marino and the need to address persistent problems efficiently and United Republic of Tanzania became parties effectively and to deal with the emerging trends and during the year. challenges of the future, identified drug control as one of the overall priorities of work for the United Nations At year's end, 158 States and the European in its medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001, Community were parties to the 1988 Convention. Noting with grave concern that the drug problem is a The Comoros, Estonia, Kuwait, Maldives and global challenge involving tens of millions of victims San Marino became parties in 2000. abusing drugs worldwide and causing massive social and Commission action. At its forty-third session health difficulties, as well as undermining economies, in March [E/2000/28], the Commission on Nar- Aware that drug trafficking and abuse have an impact on many key areas of United Nations activities, cotic Drugs reviewed implementation of the in- Recognizing the need for Governments to implement ternational drug control treaties. It had before it comprehensive measures to follow up the work of the a note by the Secretariat on changes in substance General Assembly at its twentieth special session and to control [YUN 1999, p. 1167] and the INCB report cov- monitor their implementation, ering 1999 [ibid.]. The Commission emphasized Emphasizing the important role of the international the importance of achieving the objective that community in mobilizing efforts to give effect to its narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances commitment to drug control as an integral part of the should be available for legitimate medical and United Nations overall programme for the new millen- nium, scientific purposes. With regard to implementa- Noting the forthcoming publication of the new World tion of article 12 of the 1988 Convention concern- Drug Report, ing the control of precursors, the Commission 1. Invites the General Assembly to include the world recognized the need to establish mechanisms for drug problem as an item in the agenda of the Millen- the rapid exchange of information on shipments nium Assembly of the United Nations and of the Mil- of precursors, and welcomed the extension into lennium Summit of the United Nations to be held its second phase of "Operation Purple", estab- from 6 to 8 September 2000; 2. Requests the Executive Director of the United Na- lished in 1999 [YUN 1999, p. 1168] as a systematic in- tions International Drug Control Programme to in- ternational tracking programme for shipments form the Secretary-General of the contents of the of the precursor potassium permanganate. Since present resolution in the light of the preparations be- the Operation's inception on 1 April 1999, it had ing undertaken for the Millennium Assembly of the monitored 248 shipments of the substance and United Nations and the Millennium Summit of the stopped or seized 32 of them as suspect and liable United Nations. to diversion for illicit drug manufacture. (For details of the Millennium Assembly and On 7 March [E/2000/28 (dec. 43/1)], the Commis- Summit, see p. 47.) sion decided to include norephedrine, as well as its salts and optical isomers, in Table I of the 1988 Convention. On 15 March [res. 43/9], the Commission urged Conventions Governments to take measures to control potas- sium permanganate, in accordance with the measures to control chemical precursors adopted In 2000, international efforts to control nar- in General Assembly resolution S-20/4 B [YUN cotic drugs were governed by three global con- 1998, p. 1142], and called on them to consider par- ventions: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic ticipating in regional and multilateral activities Drugs [YUN 1961, p. 382], which, with some excep- such as "Operation Purple". It encouraged inter- tions of detail, replaced earlier narcotics treaties ested Governments, regional and international and was amended in 1972 by a Protocol [YUN 1972, organizations and INCB to consider initiatives tar- p. 397] intended to strengthen the role of INCB; the geting acetic anhydride, identified for particular 1180 Economic and social questions attention in the measures to control precursors and accede to it, and reiterated its requests to set forth in resolution S-20/4 B. States that had not yet done so to accede to the On the same date [res. 43/10], the Commission 1988 Convention. The Board invited all metro- adopted a resolution on the promotion of re- politan Governments that had not already done gional and international cooperation in the fight so to extend the territorial application of the against the illicit manufacture, trafficking and 1988 Convention to their non-metropolitan ter- consumption of synthetic drugs, in particular ritories; likewise, non-metropolitan territories amphetamine-type stimulants. Welcoming the were encouraged to implement article 12 of the convening, as part of the anti-drug conferences Convention. (Tokyo, January) (see p. 1187), of the Conference on Amphetamine-type Stimulants in East and ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION South-East Asia, the Commission called on On 27 July [meeting 43], the Economic and Social Member States and relevant regional and inter- Council, on the recommendation of the Commis- national organizations to give synthetic drugs, sion on Narcotic Drugs [E/2000/28], adopted reso- particularly amphetamine-type stimulants, due lution 2000/18 without vote [agenda item 14 (d)]. priority in their policies and programmes, and to Demand for and supply of opiates for exchange information on ensuring rapid identi- medical and scientific needs fication and assessment of new synthetic drugs The Economic and Social Council, and on models used to improve the flexibility of Recalling its resolution 1999/33 of 28 July 1999 and the process of scheduling pursuant to the Action previous relevant resolutions, Plan against Illicit Manufacture, Trafficking and Emphasizing that the need to balance the global licit supply of opiates against the legitimate demand for Abuse of Amphetamine-type Stimulants and opiates for medical and scientific purposes is central to Their Precursors, adopted by the Assembly in the international strategy and policy of drug control, resolution S-20/4 A [YUN 1998, p. 1139]. Member Noting the fundamental need for international co- States were called on to enhance programmes, operation and solidarity with the traditional supplier particularly those targeting youth; to facilitate in- countries in drug control to ensure universal applica- formation exchange on new synthetic drugs; and tion of the provisions of the Single Convention on Nar- to strengthen cooperation against their illicit cotic Drugs of 1961, Having considered the Report of the International Narcot- manufacture, trafficking and abuse. The Com- ics Control Board for 1999, in which the Board points out mission asked UNDCP to expand its regional proj- that in 1998 the current status of stocks of opiate raw ects related to synthetic drugs and their precur- materials and major opiates seemed to have improved, sors and to develop new regional programmes; to and that a balance between consumption and produc- assist Member States, upon their request, in es- tion of opiate raw materials was achieved as a result of tablishing a regional system or mechanism, and the efforts made by the two traditional suppliers, India enhancing those already established, to assess and Turkey, together with other producing countries, Noting the importance of opiates in pain relief ther- drug abuse trends, particularly synthetic drugs; apy as advocated by the World Health Organization, and to assist Member States in facilitating infor- 1. Urges all Governments to continue to contribute mation exchange on measures taken by Govern- to the maintenance of a balance between the licit sup- ments and regional and international organiza- ply of and demand for opiate raw materials for medical tions to counter problems associated with and scientific needs, the achievement of which would synthetic drugs, in order to promote interna- be facilitated by maintaining, insofar as their constitu- tional cooperation. The Commission decided to tional and legal systems permit, support to the tradi- tional supplier countries, and to cooperate in prevent- consider the matters reviewed in its resolution, ing the proliferation of sources of production of opiate based on a report to be prepared by UNDCP. raw materials; By another 15 March resolution [res. 43/11], the 2. Urges Governments of all producing countries to Commission requested INCB to examine provi- adhere strictly to the provisions of the Single Conven- sions which, in the same way as those contained in tion on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and to take effective the 1971 Convention, might facilitate and enhance measures to prevent illicit production or diversion of opiate raw materials to illicit channels, especially when security in cases involving travellers carrying increasing licit production; medical preparations containing narcotic drugs. 3. Urges consumer countries to assess their licit INCB action. In its report covering 2000 needs for opiate raw materials realistically and to com- [E/INCB/2000/1], INCB stated that the implemen- municate those needs to the International Narcotics tation of the provisions of both the 1961 and 1971 Control Board in order to ensure easy supply, and urges concerned producing countries and the Board to Conventions was a prerequisite for achieving the increase efforts to monitor the available supply and to objectives of the 1988 Convention. It welcomed ensure sufficient stocks of licit opiate raw materials; the fact that a growing number of States had 4. Requests the Board to continue its efforts in moni- taken steps to implement the 1988 Convention toring the implementation of the relevant Economic International drug control 1181 and Social Council resolutions in full compliance with associations, government and the public. Al- the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961; though the Board observed that the recent trend 5. Commends the Board for its efforts in monitoring towards medicalizing social problems should be the implementation of the relevant Council resolutions and, in particular: reversed, it stressed that the proper use of medi- (a) In urging the Governments concerned to adjust cines should not be discouraged. In addition to global production of opiate raw materials to a level cor- educational programmes, preventive measures responding to actual licit needs and to avoid unfore- that were likely to be effective included reducing seen imbalances between licit supply of and demand drug availability by law enforcement measures for opiates caused by the exportation of products that entailed the application of penalties to deter manufactured from seized and confiscated drugs; those dealing in illicit drugs. Reducing the excess (b) In inviting the Governments concerned to en- use of prescription drugs, however, depended sure that opiates imported into their countries for med- ical and scientific use do not originate from countries more on educating doctors and other health-care that transform seized and confiscated drugs into licit professionals in rational prescribing. opiates; The Board analysed the operation of the inter- (c) In arranging informal meetings, during sessions national drug control system and the major de- of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, with the main velopments in drug abuse and trafficking world- States importing and producing opiate raw materials; wide. It contacted States that had extremely low 6. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the text of the present resolution to all Governments for consumption of, and estimates for, pain relief consideration and implementation. drugs to clarify the reasons and identify prob- lems in ensuring the availability of narcotic drugs for medical purposes. The Governments con- International Narcotics Control Board cerned were invited to review the assessments of The 13-member International Narcotics Con- requirements for psychotropic substances estab- trol Board held its sixty-eighth (15-26 May) and lished for their States, establish their own assess- sixty-ninth (1-17 November) sessions, both in ments as soon as possible and ensure that they Vienna [E/INCB/2000/1]. were regularly updated. As a result of the world- In performing the functions assigned to it un- wide application of the system of estimates and der the international conventions, the Board the import and export authorization system, no maintained a continuous dialogue with Govern- cases involving the diversion of narcotic drugs ments. The statistical data and other information from licit international trade into the illicit traf- received from them were used in analyses of the fic were detected, despite the large number of licit manufacture of and trade in narcotic drugs transactions involved. The Board noted, how- and psychotropic substances worldwide, in order ever, that the diversion of narcotic drugs from in- to identify whether Governments had enforced adequately functioning domestic distribution treaty provisions requiring them to limit to medi- channels continued to occur, and hoped that cal and scientific purposes the licit manufacture Governments concerned would take measures to of, trade in and distribution and use of those sub- prevent it. stances. The international drug control treaties In its conclusions and recommendations, the required the Board to report annually on the Board noted that its current review had shown drug control situation worldwide, noting gaps that the excessive or inappropriate use of psy- and weaknesses in national control and in treaty choactive substances, once they became strictly compliance and making recommendations for controlled, was often replaced by the use of less improvements. strictly controlled substitutes. The safest way for As the aim of the treaties was to prevent drug Governments to prevent the emergence of new abuse and its associated problems, the special problems was to react in a timely manner to avoid theme of the Board's report in 2000 focused on the potential for overconsumption of such drugs. the prevention of drug use that had no medical or The Board recommended that Governments scientific legitimacy. The linchpin of prevention closely supervise the supply and consumption was to reduce drug availability for non-medical of controlled drugs, explore ways for closer inter- purposes by statutory regulation. However, ac- governmental cooperation and develop inter- cording to the Board, that approach was insuffi- governmental arrangements and standards for cient on its own. The Board examined the exces- application at the regional level. Developing sive use of controlled drugs in several countries countries should establish regulatory control and discussed possible factors contributing to over the national drug supply, seek bilateral and that situation. It examined ways to curb excessive multilateral assistance, promote the manufacture drug consumption and outlined the responsibili- and/or import of generic drug substitutions of ties of health-care professionals, pharmaceutical good quality, and enlist the assistance of local companies, professional organizations, consumer pharmacies as a source of information. Smug- 1182 Economic and social questions gling of diverted pharmaceutical products con- trends and control efforts, so that Governments taining psychotropic substances had become would be kept aware of situations that might en- widespread, and the Board requested Govern- danger the objectives of international drug con- ments to ensure exchange of information among trol treaties. their national authorities on seizures and illicit trafficking, and to provide information, training Africa and technical means to customs officials. It called In most countries in Africa, drug abuse ap- to Governments' attention the hazards of inade- peared to be rising. Cannabis remained the most quately storing psychotropic substances seized widely grown and abused drug. Psychotropic sub- after having been diverted from licit manufac- stance abuse was widespread because of inade- ture and trade. The diversion of precursors from quate systems for licensing and inspecting trade licit trade for the illicit manufacture of narcotic in those substances, and heroin and cocaine drugs or psychotropic substances continued. In abuse had become more widespread in urban 2000, major drug manufacturing, exporting and areas. The rise of heroin injecting was of concern importing countries continued to participate in due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in most "Operation Purple" to monitor potassium per- parts of Africa. The lack of resources for drug manganate, a key chemical used in the illicit control remained the main obstacle in the fight manufacture of cocaine. In order to initiate a against illicit crop cultivation, drug production comparable programme for acetic anhydride, and trafficking in Africa. used in illicit heroin manufacture, the Board con- Despite eradication efforts and significant sei- vened an international meeting (Antalya, Turkey, zures in some countries, the region remained a October), which agreed to initiate "Operation major supplier of cannabis. South Africa re- Topaz" to prevent the diversion of that chemical mained one of the world's largest producers of from international trade, to intercept illicit con- cannabis, most of which was sold on illicit mar- signments and to investigate seizures in order kets in the country or in the subregion of South- that the sources of the seized substance could be ern Africa, although the amount smuggled into identified. Legal provisions regarding travellers Europe and the United States continued to in- under treatment involving the use of prepara- crease. Despite law enforcement efforts and the tions containing narcotic drugs differed signifi- strengthening of customs control, Morocco re- cantly from country to country. Thus, the Board mained a major source of cannabis resin des- recognized the need to establish provisions for tined mainly for Western Europe. Significant carrying narcotic drugs similar to those for psy- cannabis cultivation was also reported in Western chotropic substances as contained in the 1971 Africa. Convention. Expressing concern about the in- The only confirmed report of opium poppy creasing use of the Internet to illicitly advertise cultivation in Africa came from the Sinai penin- and sell controlled substances and noting that na- sula in Egypt, where opium was abused but her- tional efforts had only a limited impact, the oin was not manufactured. While the total Board drew the attention of the Commission to amount of heroin seized in Africa remained the urgent need to further consider the problem. small, heroin seizures increased, particularly in In view of the introduction of a new variety of countries in Eastern and Western Africa, through opium poppy with a high thebaine content and which heroin, mainly from India, Pakistan and the growing importance of thebaine as a raw ma- Thailand, was smuggled. Cocaine originating in terial for the manufacture of opiates, the Board South America and shipped mainly from Brazil deemed it necessary to review the methodology transited countries in Western and Southern Af- used for the analysis of the global situation re- rica on its way to Europe. Even though South Af- garding the supply of and demand for opiates for rica was only a transit point, the consumption of medical purposes. cocaine in its hard crystalline form, "crack", and On 27 July, the Economic and Social Council, in powder form increased in that country. Traf- by decision 2000/241, took note of the INCB re- ficking in and the abuse of psychotropic sub- port for 1999 [Sales No. E.00.XI.1]. stances increased in Western and Central Africa and, along with narcotic drugs, continued to be available over the counter, due to the lack of con- World drug situation trol over pharmaceutical products. South Africa was thought to be the country with the world's largest prevalence of methaqualone abuse; the substance remained a problem in Eastern, West- In its 2000 report [E/INCB/2000/1], INCB pro- ern and other parts of Southern Africa. When In- vided a regional analysis of world drug abuse dia ceased to be a major source of the substance, International drug control 1183 local illicit manufacture compensated for the creasing drug awareness and involving the mass loss, primarily in South Africa. Methylenedioxy- media in Southern Africa, a study to assess the methamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as needs of law enforcement agencies regarding in- Ecstasy, was the most recent drug of abuse that formation sharing and exchange on drug-related appeared in the region; clandestine laboratories issues, and work towards enhancing coordination manufacturing MDMA and methamphetamine among national drug control bodies in the sub- had been detected in South Africa. However, the region. The first meeting of ministers of the inte- bulk of MDMA abused in South Africa had been rior and the third meeting of the committee of smuggled in from Europe, notably the Nether- police chiefs in Eastern Africa (Khartoum, lands and the United Kingdom. June), organized by the Sudan in collaboration In September, the Board sent a mission to with Interpol, decided to gather and share infor- Senegal and to the United Republic of Tanzania mation on drug trafficking, and to hold regular and urged both Governments to strengthen their meetings to discuss drug trafficking trends and system of control. It welcomed the establishment operations aimed at countering the problem. A of the Inter-Ministerial Anti-Drug Commission seminar was held, under the auspices of the Cen- in Tanzania, which was to coordinate all drug tral Bank of West African States (Dakar, Senegal, control efforts in that country. July), to sensitize and inform national authorities Many countries had updated their drug laws and financial institutions throughout the sub- and policies. National drug control strategies had region about money-laundering issues. been adopted in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Kenya and Togo and were being prepared in the Americas Central African Republic, Madagascar and Tan- zania. Mauritius developed legislation to enable Central America and the Caribbean it to become a party to the 1988 Convention; In Central America and the Caribbean, the il- Ghana initiated drug prevention education in the licit cultivation of cannabis, mainly for domestic curriculum of all secondary schools and teacher illicit markets, was widespread. Opium poppy training colleges; Nigeria created committees on cultivation was limited to Guatemala, where the drugs and financial crime in its parliament; and area under cultivation had decreased only South Africa established an asset forfeiture unit slightly. Most countries continued to experience under the 1988 Prevention of Organized Crime problems involving the enforcement of prescrip- Act. tion requirements for anxiolitics and, to a lesser Regionally, several Governments cooperated extent, stimulants used as anorectics. Seizures of in the fight against drug trafficking through bi- coca paste decreased in 1999 and the first half of lateral and international agreements. Kenya and 2000 in all countries in Central America, except Uganda had joint operations aimed at curbing Guatemala. Seizures of cocaine hydrochloride cannabis trafficking along their common border; and "crack", however, continued to increase and Egypt and Pakistan concluded a bilateral agree- were much higher in Nicaragua and Panama ment on drug control cooperation; and Nigeria than the rest of the region. Belize was the only signed memorandums of understanding on country in the subregion that did not report sei- drug control with Iran and the Russian Federa- zures of heroin. Weak institutional and political tion. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) situations in some countries and the large num- convened a third expert group meeting on drug ber of political entities in the Caribbean posed control (Algiers, February), to monitor the im- challenges to the fight against illicit drug traf- plementation of the OAU plan of action on the ficking and abuse. Drug traffickers capitalized control of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Af- on those challenges, moving their operations to rica. The first Africa-Europe summit (Cairo, weaker jurisdictions and stockpiling illicit drugs Egypt, April), held under the aegis of OAU and in isolated locations. They also took advantage of the European Union (EU), resulted in a plan of the potential offered by the growing tourism in- action to, among other things, fight illicit drug dustry, and the region's location between major trafficking. Subregional organizations, namely, drug-producing areas and significant illicit drug the Common Market for Eastern and Southern markets. Africa and the East African Community, devel- In Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grena- oped a draft protocol on combating drug traffick- dines, where the cultivation and abuse of canna- ing within Eastern Africa; and the Southern Afri- bis had become socially acceptable and a major can Development Community's (SADC) regional source of income, there was considerable illicit drug control programme became operational. cultivation of cannabis, which was destined for il- SADC activities included a project aimed at in- licit national and international markets. On sev- 1184 Economic and social questions eral other islands, as well as in Central America, Barbados and Panama enacted legislation against cannabis was cultivated mainly to be abused lo- money-laundering. The Board expressed con- cally. Eradication efforts continued to be success- cern about reports of money-laundering activi- ful and large amounts were seized. In the region, ties in Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint information on illicit activities related to psycho- Vincent and the Grenadines; and the political tropic substances was scarce. The manufacture of (see p. 249) and economic situation in Haiti, which those substances appeared to be non-existent and had hindered the country's ability to combat the diversion of such substances from licit into il- drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Although Ja- licit channels was rarely reported. maica had enacted drug legislation and created a In Central America, the smuggling of drugs, Port Security Corps to deal with seaport security, mostly cocaine hydrochloride, coca paste (basuco) drug trafficking had increased significantly. In and "crack", by land continued unabated. It ap- Saint Lucia, improvements in the police force re- peared that in Central America, ports on the Car- sulted in increased eradication activities and more ibbean Sea and on the Pacific Ocean were in- seizures. Transit trafficking in Cuba had led to creasingly used for the trans-shipment of illicit increased availability of drugs in the country. drugs. The spillover of that drug trafficking had Regionally, the cooperative efforts of Central a noticeable impact on the abuse of drugs, in par- American Governments led to multilateral law ticular cocaine and "crack". Private vessels, fish- enforcement operations, such as "Operation ing boats, cruisers and pleasure ships were in- Central Skies", a United States counternarcotics creasingly used in maritime drug trafficking. aerial reconnaissance programme. In July, El Sal- Reliable data on levels of drug abuse in Central vador reached an agreement with the United America and the Caribbean remained scarce. States on the establishment of a regional centre According to information furnished by Govern- to combat illicit drug trafficking. In other initia- ments to the Inter-American Drug Abuse Com- tives, the Permanent Central American Commis- mission (CICAD), the most common drug of first- sion for the Eradication of Illicit Production, time abuse was cannabis, and in Central America, Traffic, Consumption and Use of Drugs and also inhalants. In Costa Rica, "crack" ranked Psychotropic Substances proposed to design a slightly above cannabis, while in Honduras, tran- subregional plan of action; and El Salvador, Gua- quillizers were more than twice as popular as can- temala and Nicaragua pursued a tripartite agree- nabis as the drug of first-time abuse. In some ment to combat smuggling in the Pacific basin of parts of the Caribbean, the abuse of Ecstasy was Central America. The Board noted the impor- detected. tance of regional and subregional initiatives in Following a mission to El Salvador in July, the the Caribbean, such as the United Nations Off- Board welcomed the adoption of new laws shore Forum (Cayman Islands, March); the third against money-laundering and the sale of glue joint meeting (Barbados, May) of the Caribbean and solvents, the establishment of a joint secre- Drug Control Coordination Mechanism; and the tariat for the anti-narcotics trafficking commis- chemical control workshop organized by CICAD sion and the anti-drugs commission, and nation- for Caribbean countries (Barbados, October). wide drug abuse prevention initiatives. The Board also visited Honduras in July and wel- North America comed the Government's efforts to enhance drug Cannabis remained the most common drug of control. It remarked that the national anti- abuse in Canada, Mexico and the United States. narcotics council should be strengthened, par- The spread of high-content tetrahydrocannabi- ticularly regarding the handling of drug policy nol (THC) cannabis in Canada and part of the matters; coordination between law enforcement United States was of major concern to law en- agencies and the health authorities on drug- forcement agencies. Illicit production in Canada related issues required improvement; and the was estimated at 800 tons, more than 60 per cent Government needed to establish a regulatory of which might have entered the illicit market in mechanism and designate an agency responsible the United States. In the United States, cannabis for precursor control. The Board stated that the was mainly smuggled into the country from Can- Government's efforts should be complemented ada, Mexico and other countries in the region; by financial and technical support from the inter- however, much of the cannabis was illicitly grown national community. by small-scale operators within the United States. The Board noted that, during 2000, Costa Though efforts to eradicate cannabis had been Rica, the Dominican Republic and Panama de- made by law enforcement agencies in Canada, veloped new national drug control plans; the fi- the impact of those efforts had been reduced by nancial investigation unit created by El Salvador Canadian courts that gave lenient sentences to became operational; and Antigua and Barbuda, cannabis growers and couriers. While the overall International drug control 1185 level of cocaine abuse in the United States re- and the United States Coast Guard, resulted in mained unchanged, the rate declined for adoles- increased cocaine seizures. Based on the Cross- cents, which was attributed to drug abuse educa- Border Crime Forum established in 1997, Can- tion. Overall, heroin abuse declined. Although ada and the United States worked on a mecha- there were no recent statistics on drug abuse in nism to enhance the sharing of intelligence and Canada, surveys showed increased drug abuse developing priorities for targeting criminal among secondary school students. Cocaine abuse groups involved in drug trafficking. A sub- in Mexico remained at a much lower rate than in regional agreement to promote cooperation in both Canada and the United States but appeared demand reduction was approved at a summit of to be increasing. Methamphetamine abuse con- the Presidents of Mexico and the Central Ameri- tinued to be widespread in Canada and the can countries. In June, China and the United United States, and Ecstasy from Western Europe States entered into an agreement to increase co- was increasingly being abused by young people. operation in the fight against drug-related crime, Illicit methamphetamine manufacture contin- particularly by sharing evidence related to crime ued in North America and increased in Canada, and drug trafficking. A multinational drug law where law enforcement agencies uncovered a rec- enforcement operation led by the United States ord number of clandestine laboratories. Gamma- and joined by 25 countries in the Caribbean and hydroxybutyrate (GHB) abuse was spreading rap- South America resulted in the capture of thou- idly in the United States, which placed it on sands of suspected drug traffickers and the sei- schedule I of the country's Controlled Substance zure of large amounts of illicit drugs. Act. The Board welcomed the comprehensive re- Drug trafficking continued to increase in Can- view of scientific evidence to assess the potential ada. Besides cannabis and cocaine, the amount of health benefits and risks of cannabis and its con- heroin smuggled into the country increased. Ca- stituent cannabinoids, which was completed in nadian law enforcement agencies intercepted a 1999 by the Institute of Medicine in the United consignment of heroin that weighed 156 kilo- States. The study stated that smoking cannabis grams, the largest heroin seizure ever made in delivered harmful substances and that plants the country. Mexico continued to be a major contained a variable mixture of biologically ac- source of cannabis. Mexican drug trafficking tive compounds and could not provide a precisely groups were also involved in Ecstasy trafficking, defined drug effect. It concluded that, for those exchanging cocaine from Latin America for Ec- reasons, any medical future of cannabinoid stasy manufactured in Europe. Cannabis, cocaine drugs did not lie in smoked cannabis but in its and heroin seized along the Mexico-United isolated components, the cannabinoids and their States border increased in 2000. As it became synthetic derivatives. The Board encouraged fur- more difficult to smuggle drugs into the United ther scientific research into the possible medical States by air, South American traffickers turned uses of cannabis. to shipping cocaine and heroin by sea to Central America, and then smuggling the drugs into the South America United States by land. Cannabis remained the most common drug of In North America, the spread of information abuse in South America, followed by cocaine and by the media on methods used to manufacture il- inhalants. In most South American countries, licit drugs continued to be a concern, particularly cocaine abuse continued to rise, while only in in Canada and the United States. Messages about some did the abuse of cocaine base continue to indoor cannabis cultivation and the manufacture increase. Heroin abuse remained negligible. Sta- of synthetic drugs, especially methamphetamine, tistical data on the abuse of psychotropic sub- were common on web sites. stances in South America were rarely available. Canada, Mexico and the United States contin- However, household surveys showed that in Bo- ued cooperative efforts against drug abuse and il- livia and Peru the abuse of tranquillizers was licit trafficking. Mexico and the United States, widespread. Argentina reported seizures of based on the 1997 Bi-national Drug Threat lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and the seizure Assessment and the Alliance against Drugs, de- of Ecstasy became more common in several veloped procedures to evaluate progress made countries, as the drug had become fashionable under their respective national drug control among youth. strategies. Customs authorities of both countries South America continued to be the sole source signed an agreement to work more on various of illicitly manufactured cocaine hydrochloride, issues, including money-laundering and drug which was primarily smuggled into North Amer- trafficking. Joint operations by their law enforce- ica and, increasingly, into Europe. Despite sig- ment authorities, especially the Mexican Navy nificant reductions in illicit coca bush cultivation 1186 Economic and social questions in Bolivia and Peru, the overall capacity of the re- Asia gion to manufacture cocaine hydrochloride was not significantly reduced. Judging by seizure and East and South-East Asia other data, illicit coca leaf production continued The abuse of opiates was widespread in all to increase in Colombia, especially in areas where countries in the Mekong area, particularly illicit trafficking provided a considerable source China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, of income for guerrillas and paramilitary and Myanmar and Viet Nam. Research findings criminal groups. In 2000, record amounts of co- showed that virtually all cases of HIV infection caine hydrochloride were seized in several coun- along a particular heroin trafficking route in tries. Drug trafficking methods varied, and it ap- South-East Asia involved the same subtype of the peared that all countries were being used as virus, HIV-1, suggesting that HIV infection was trans-shipment points. In the northern part of spreading together with the practice of injecting the continent, large-scale trafficking in cocaine heroin. Heroin abuse appeared to be limited in destined for North America and Europe was re- other countries in East and South-East Asia, such ported, while in the southern part, smaller quan- as Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines and the Re- tities were smuggled by courier mostly into public of Korea. China and Thailand were mar- Europe. Most countries in South America were kets for methamphetamine illicitly manufac- also the final destination of some of the smug- tured in the Golden Triangle. The abuse of gled cocaine. Ecstasy significantly increased among youth. Cannabis continued to be cultivated in South Myanmar continued to be the world's second America, mainly for local consumption, al- largest source of heroin and opium. Illicit opium though extensive cultivation for international poppy cultivation occurred to a lesser extent in trafficking took place in several countries. The the Lao People's Democratic Republic and was Board noted the need for more reliable data on minimal in Thailand and Viet Nam. Heroin the extent of illicit cannabis cultivation in the re- manufactured in the Golden Triangle was smug- gion. gled into Yunnan Province of China and trans- In Colombia, illicit opium poppy cultivation ported eastward to the coast and beyond, and and heroin seizures increased. Seizure data from through the Lao People's Democratic Republic the United States showed that a significant part and Viet Nam into the Guanxi Autonomous Re- of its illicit heroin supply was from Colombia. gion and Guangdong Province of China. Other Colombian heroin also appeared on illicit Euro- transit routes brought heroin from the Golden pean markets. Brazil and Colombia had taken Triangle to major cities on the South-East Asian steps to monitor the movements of acetic anhy- peninsula, where it was sold on illicit markets or dride to prevent it from being diverted for heroin transported to other parts of the world. manufacture. Significant sources of illicitly cultivated canna- The Board noted that, in 2000, coordinated bis destined for other countries included Cambo- law enforcement activities yielded positive re- dia, Indonesia, the Lao People's Democratic Re- sults. Most Governments used the same method public and the Philippines. Australia continued to collect and report to CICAD data on drug sei- to be one of the primary destinations of cannabis zures and drug abuse, which facilitated eval- cultivated in the region. uation of the development of trafficking in and Drug trafficking groups shifted their activities abuse of drugs. Although in South America there from the illicit trade in opiates to the illicit trade had been numerous recent legal developments in stimulants, which had become increasingly and policy initiatives to fight drug trafficking profitable. Most countries reported increased and related crime, the Board observed that diffi- seizures of methamphetamine in 2000. Cambo- culties in their implementation persisted, due to dia and the Lao People's Democratic Republic institutional, organizational, political and/or fi- saw an increase in abuse and seizures of stimu- nancial impediments. lants, while in Singapore the abuse of ketamine The Board undertook missions to Paraguay by young people increased. Seizures and the and Uruguay in February. It welcomed the number of abusers of Ecstasy rose in some coun- efforts of both countries in combating drug traf- tries. ficking and related crime, and suggested that Countries in East and South-East Asia contin- Paraguay take steps to improve its coordination ued to strengthen their national legislation and and exchange of information with neighbouring policies to deal more effectively with drug abuse countries. It proposed that Uruguay conduct and drug-related crime. China strengthened its drug abuse studies regularly using consistent monitoring of the domestic distribution of methodology so that trends might be assessed ephedrine, to prevent it from being diverted to better. clandestine methamphetamine laboratories; in International drug control 1187

Indonesia, some 200 NGOs established a consor- based cough syrups and benzodiazepines, contin- tium to consolidate their resources to deal more ued to increase in Bangladesh, India and Nepal, effectively with drug abuse and illicit trafficking; mainly because of the lack of uniformity in moni- the cabinet of Thailand endorsed a proposal by toring compliance with prescription require- the National Narcotics Control Board for a com- ments. prehensive strategy to deal with the drug prob- Drug problems in South Asia related to its lem; and Viet Nam adopted comprehensive legis- proximity to the main regions that produced opi- lation on the control of narcotic drugs. ates illicitly, namely West Asia, including Af- At the regional level, Japan organized four ghanistan, and East Asia, including Myanmar. anti-drug conferences on operational drug law South Asian countries became involved in sup- enforcement, maritime drug law, the collection plying drugs, within and outside the region, for and analysis of intelligence on illicit drug traf- illicit purposes. ficking and amphetamine-type stimulants (To- In addition to being cultivated illicitly, canna- kyo, January). As follow-up to the Association of bis grew wild in nearly all countries in the region. South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial Afghanistan, India and Nepal were regarded as meeting (Bangkok, Thailand, July), an interna- major sources. Cannabis was sold locally and else- tional congress (Bangkok, October) endorsed a where within South Asia and continued to be plan of action for ASEAN members and China smuggled out of the region into Europe and that set targets and measures for them to become North America. Cannabis eradication campaigns drug-free. In May, Thailand agreed to train offi- were carried out regularly but did not reach all cials in the Lao People's Democratic Republic areas. The situation was further exacerbated by and Myanmar in the use of remote-sensing tech- cross-border criminal activities, such as those by nology to map areas under opium poppy cultiva- Indian smugglers who leased land from Nepalese tion. An agreement was signed between China to cultivate cannabis. and the United States, in June, to strengthen co- Licitly manufactured psychotropic substances, operation in curbing the flow of illicit drugs be- mainly diazepam and nitrazepam, continued to tween China and Myanmar. be smuggled out of India, not only into Nepal, The Board undertook missions to the Philip- but also into the Russian Federation and Central pines and the Republic of Korea in September. It Asia. In India, efforts by the authorities resulted noted the strict measures by the Philippines in a decline in the illicit manufacture of metha- against all types of drug-related offences, includ- qualome (Mandrax), which was being smuggled ing drug abuse, and the adoption of new legisla- into South Africa and Nepal; the seizure of meth- tion against money-laundering. It encouraged amphetamine of Indian origin, at the border of the Philippines to cooperate in drug profiling Myanmar; and a decline in the diversion and and other law enforcement efforts to prevent traf- smuggling of buprenorphine. As the border be- ficking in methamphetamine, the abuse of which tween India and Myanmar could become a major was increasing, and its precursors. The Republic illicit drug-producing area, the Board welcomed of Korea, because of its law enforcement efforts India's intention to establish a drug profiling and effective programmes to prevent drug abuse, programme to collect and examine seized meth- had avoided almost all of the negative effects of amphetamine and ephedrine samples from the developments in drug trafficking and abuse. area and to investigate intelligence obtained on While the abuse of stimulants had spread, drug drug-trafficking routes and the precursors re- abuse levels remained extremely low. quired for illicit drug manufacture. The Board reviewed progress made by Viet Heroin seizures indicated that Afghanistan Nam on its 1997 recommendations [YUN 1997, and Myanmar were the major sources of heroin p. 1274], and noted the establishment of a national smuggled through the region and of that des- coordinating body for drug control, efforts to tined for illicit markets in Bangladesh, India and control precursors, and improvements in the sub- Sri Lanka. While traditionally India was used as a mission of data on licit activities related to nar- transit country, recently clandestine heroin la- cotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precur- boratories were detected and destroyed in the sors. country. Drug seizures and drug-related arrests revealed that multinational drug-trafficking South Asia groups were operating in South Asia and that Countries in South Asia experienced in- West Africans were involved in smuggling heroin creased drug abuse. Heroin abuse rose in Bangla- out of India into Africa and Europe. desh and Nepal and was widespread in India. Initiatives taken by India to counter the drug The abuse of licitly manufactured narcotic drugs problem were a national survey on the extent, and psychotropic substances, particularly codeine- patterns and trends of drug abuse, the adoption 1188 Economic and social questions of a community-based multidisciplinary ap- In March, the Taliban destroyed 350 kilograms proach in programmes to reduce illicit drug de- of heroin; however, it appeared that opiates were mand and a study to identify illicit opium poppy sold freely throughout Afghanistan. The huge cultivation sites in Arunchal Pradesh. Bangla- increase in heroin seizures in West Asia indicated desh reviewed its Narcotics Control Act to bring it that heroin processing in Afghanistan had in- into line with international and regional drug creased substantially in the past two years. Her- control conventions. In Sri Lanka, a system for oin processing had disappeared in Pakistan. In monitoring drug abuse began in hospitals. Iran and Turkey, morphine seizures remained Bilateral efforts to combat drug trafficking in- constant, and some heroin laboratories had cluded meetings between authorities in India moved from Turkey to Azerbaijan. Iran ac- and Myanmar to facilitate the exchange of intelli- counted for 80 per cent of the world's total gence, and high-level talks between India and amount of opium seized and 90 per cent of the Pakistan on drug law enforcement and opera- total amount of morphine seized. In Pakistan, tional matters. India entered into legal arrange- the amount of opiates seized since mid-1999 had ments with countries in and outside the region to increased and seizures of cocaine were reported improve cooperation aimed at reducing the illicit for the first time. Weak border control between demand for drugs and preventing drug traffick- Afghanistan and Tajikistan and between Turk- ing. menistan and Uzbekistan and rugged terrain posed obstacles to effective control of drug traf- ficking from Afghanistan. West Asia Significant seizures of Ecstasy were reported Cannabis continued to be the most widely in Israel and of amphetamines in Saudi Arabia. abused substance in West Asia. Heroin addiction Pakistan planned to amend legislation so that rates in Iran and Pakistan appeared to be among law enforcement agencies might utilize assets the world's highest. The abuse of stimulants, confiscated from drug criminals, and so that as- mainly methcathinone and other amphetamine- sessments of money-laundering might be made. type stimulants, occurred in Central Asia. In Af- It intended to complement those steps by estab- ghanistan and Pakistan, the abuse of benzodi- lishing special courts in five major cities and to azepines in the form of pharmaceutical tablets continue to upgrade its judicial system. The was widespread. Benzodiazepine abuse was in- Board encouraged the Government to provide creasing in Turkey. Cocaine abuse in the region resources to reduce illicit drug demand. Activi- remained negligible. ties of the newly established Drug Control In Afghanistan and, to a lesser extent, in Paki- Agency of Tajikistan had led to significant sei- stan, where huge quantities of cannabis were il- zures. In Kazakhstan, a drug control agency was licitly cultivated or grew wild, no eradication established in February. Azerbaijan had recently efforts were reported. Cannabis resin from those created a national committee on drug control. countries was smuggled into West Asia and The fourteenth conference of heads of Arab Europe. In March, the Taliban banned the collec- drug control agencies (Tunis, July) discussed a tion of taxes on cannabis resin and destroyed draft model law to combat money-laundering. 4,500 kilograms of the substance, but those The Board urged the Governments of the re- efforts had a limited impact. Cannabis was also il- gion to continue to assess the nature and extent of licitly cultivated and grew wild in Kazakhstan drug abuse in their countries. It expressed con- and, to a lesser degree, in Kyrgyzstan. cern about the lack of adequate treatment cen- The annual opium poppy survey in Afghani- tres in West Asian countries most affected by stan for 2000, conducted by the UN Office of drug abuse and at ineffective measures against Drug Control and Crime Prevention, estimated money-laundering. the total opium harvest at 3,300 tons, which was Regarding regional cooperation, the "six plus 28 per cent less than the previous crop year, fol- two" group (China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, lowing bad weather conditions and the reduction Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, plus the Russian of the area under cultivation. In April, the Tali- Federation and the United States) met to address ban began an opium poppy eradication cam- the drug-related issues in a coordinated manner, paign, but the overall impact on cultivation re- with a view to eliminating illicit drug production mained limited. The Taliban issued a decree in in and smuggling out of Afghanistan, through a July banning opium poppy cultivation. Pakistan's comprehensive and balanced subregional plan. goal of a zero-poppy harvest in 2000 was not It adopted a comprehensive action plan in Sep- achieved. Illicit opium poppy cultivation was lim- tember to deal with the illicit drug supply and de- ited in Central Asia, where eradication cam- mand in the subregion. The Board also noted the paigns were conducted annually. establishment, in June, of the Turkish Interna- International drug control 1189 tional Academy against Drugs and Organized The availability and demand for cocaine in- Crime, which would train law enforcement per- creased in Europe, and large amounts of the sonnel in States members of the Economic substance were smuggled from South America Cooperation Organization. Agreements were through Spain. Cocaine abuse increased in Bel- reached by law enforcement agencies from Iran gium, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Nether- and Pakistan to assist their counterparts in the lands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Eastern territory ruled by the Taliban. An international European countries. conference on enhancing security and stability in Europe continued to be a major source of Central Asia (Tashkent, Uzbekistan, October) the illicitly manufactured amphetamines and was held to develop an integrated approach to amphetamine-type stimulants that appeared on countering drug trafficking, organized crime illicit markets not only in the region but through- and terrorism in the region. A subregional semi- out the world. Amphetamine seizures in Europe nar was held (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, increased only slightly, with the United Kingdom May) on the prevention of money-laundering. accounting for the bulk of those seizures. Signifi- Following a mission to Lebanon, the Board ex- cant seizures of Ecstasy were made in France, pressed regret that the Government had shown Germany, Spain and Switzerland. no intention of lifting bank secrecy on drug traf- The Board welcomed the adoption of new fickers, which had made it impossible to confis- drug control legislation in Slovenia and legisla- cate their assets and to investigate money- tion to prevent money-laundering in Albania, the laundering. It called on Lebanon to withdraw its Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia and Liechten- reservation to the 1988 Convention against drug stein. In September, Poland approved a bill that trafficking regarding the provisions on money- increased penalties for abusers and sellers of any laundering. type of drug. Switzerland initiated a national campaign to prevent drug abuse, Spain adopted a Europe national drug strategy for 2000-2008, and Latvia, While cannabis abuse remained stable in most Lithuania and Ukraine launched national drug countries in Europe, the availability and abuse of control strategies or programmes. synthetic drugs and cocaine continued to rise. In At the regional level, the EU Action Plan to many countries, the prevalence of the abuse of Combat Drugs (2000-2004), which provided amphetamine-type stimulants was second only guidelines to implement the EU Drugs Strategy to that of cannabis abuse. Albania, Bulgaria, Es- and addressed the improvement of drug coordi- tonia, Romania, the Russian Federation and nation and the development of national drug co- Slovenia reported that heroin abuse had become ordination units in each EU member State, was a major concern, and Hungary saw increased in- endorsed by the European Council (Santa Maria travenous use of the substance at an alarming da Feira, Portugal, June). The Board noted the rate. "Liquid heroin" or "kompot", which was efforts of the European Monitoring Centre for produced from poppy straw, continued to be Drugs and Drug Addiction to collect and analyse abused in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The drug-related data and to provide comparable availability of methamphetamine showed a data on the drug phenomenon; the Centre's work marked increase in Western Europe. in assessing synthetic drugs that posed a serious Cannabis continued to be the most widely traf- threat to public health; and the large number of ficked drug in Europe, with Morocco the main cooperative bilateral and regional agreements source of cannabis resin and Albania a major between European countries. source of cannabis herb. The Netherlands and The Board sent missions to Albania, Bosnia Switzerland were becoming important sources of and Herzegovina, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, the cannabis. Indoor cultivation remained a signifi- Russian Federation, Spain and Switzerland. It cant problem in Western Europe, where cannabis expressed concern about the weak institutional seeds and paraphernalia were sold via the Inter- structures in Albania that made it attractive to net. Large areas under cultivation were eradi- drug traffickers; political developments in Bos- cated in Lithuania and Ukraine. nia and Herzegovina that had prevented unified An increase in the amount of heroin seized in and effective controls over narcotic drugs and Europe was attributed partly to higher intercep- psychotropic substances; and that the cultivation tion rates in Central and Eastern European coun- and sale of cannabis in Switzerland had devel- tries. Law enforcement agencies considered that oped into a significant grey area of business. The the bulk of heroin seized in Europe had passed Board commended Greece for offering a wide along the Balkan route. Most heroin came from range of treatment and rehabilitation pro- South-West Asia, particularly Afghanistan, and grammes. It urged Ireland to update the national some was from South-East Asia or Colombia. drug strategy to address the high level of abuse of 1190 Economic and social questions cannabis and Ecstasy. In view of Spain's impor- Regional organizations such as the Oceania tance as a transit country for drugs smuggled into Customs Organization and the South Pacific Fo- Europe, the Board encouraged the Government rum played an important role in improving the to strengthen its law enforcement activities and coordination of action to implement the provi- to dismantle drug-trafficking organizations. sions of the international drug control treaties among the Pacific island States. Australia held Oceania consultations with New Zealand and Papua New The availability of and demand for cocaine Guinea, with a view to contributing to more har- were, with the exception of Australia, low in monized approaches in Oceania. Oceania. Seizure data indicated that the Pacific Following a mission to Australia in April, the islands, such as Fiji and Tonga, were increasingly Board recommended that measures be taken to used as transit points for South American co- reduce the number of heroin abusers and en- caine en route to Australia and New Zealand. couraged the Government to further develop its treatment and rehabilitation programme, which Trafficking in and abuse of methampheta- thus far had focused on pharmaco-therapeutic mine in crystal form appeared to rise in some of assistance. the Pacific islands. In New Zealand, the demand for Ecstasy rose, and LSD continued to be a major problem, since it was illicitly imported mainly through the mail system from Western Europe UN action to combat drug abuse and the west coast of North America. The sale and abuse of sodium oxybate, a psychoactive sub- stance with hallucinogenic properties not under UN International Drug Control Programme international control, increased significantly in The United Nations International Drug Con- New Zealand. trol Programme (UNDCP), established in 1991 In Australia, illicit trafficking in and abuse of [YUN 1991, p. 721] to promote the application of in- heroin continued to be serious problems. Seizure ternational drug control treaties and the develop- data indicated that the drug remained widely ment of drug control strategies, was a catalyst in available, that its price had fallen and that its pu- stimulating action at the national, regional and rity remained high. Most of the heroin seized by international levels. The Executive Director Australian customs authorities originated in East described UNDCP's activities in a report to the and South-East Asia. Sydney and Melbourne re- Commission on Narcotic Drugs [E/CN.7/2001/7]. mained key entry points since they were primary Through a portfolio of technical cooperation international and domestic transportation hubs. programmes supported by a network of field of- Other countries in Oceania, such as New Zea- fices located in key regions and countries, it pro- land, did not appear to have a significant market moted subregional cooperation and furthered for heroin. A seizure of 350 kilograms of heroin bilateral cooperation and direct consultations be- in Fiji indicated that the Pacific islands were vul- tween Governments. In mounting a global re- nerable to trafficking. sponse to the drug problem, UNDCP mobilized A decrease in the illicit outdoor cultivation of specialized agencies and other UN entities, inter- cannabis in Australia was offset by an increase in national financial institutions, other intergov- the hydroponic cultivation of the substance. Il- ernmental organizations and civil society, par- licit cultivation continued in New Caledonia, ticularly non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Papua New Guinea and to a limited degree in In addition, UNDCP assisted States in complying Fiji. In Papua New Guinea, cannabis was increas- with the international drug control treaties; sup- ingly bartered for commercial goods and weap- ported their efforts to implement initiatives ons. to meet the objectives agreed upon at the twenti- In view of the focus on harm reduction in the eth special session of the General Assembly [YUN drug abuse strategies of Australia and New Zea- 1998, p. 1135]; assisted in improving judicial co- land, the Board stressed that harm reduction operation, particularly by providing training to should not become a goal in itself and the strat- law enforcement personnel, national administra- egy should not be adopted at the expense of a tions, judges, magistrates and prosecutors, as strong commitment to reduce the supply of and well as personnel working in demand reduction; demand for illicit drugs. The Board noted that and provided direct support in the prosecution some Pacific island States, such as Samoa, had of serious drug-trafficking offences, including considered ways to strengthen their financial money-laundering. In 2000, UNDCP launched a controls to ensure that their institutions were not global illicit crops monitoring programme to used for money-laundering. assist countries in establishing monitoring sys- International drug control 1191 terns that would produce internationally compa- United Nations (FAO) and the PanAmerican rable data and benchmarks by which to measure Health Organization/World Health Organiza- progress towards the eradication goals set for tion (WHO) in alternative development in Colom- 2008. bia; joint UN programming for the rural devel- UNDCP served as the substantive secretariat of opment of the Bekaa valley in Lebanon; and the INCB. In cooperation with the Board and Gov- integration of a demand reduction component in ernments, it monitored the international drug activities undertaken by the Economic and Social control system and the flow of precursors, and Commission for Asia and the Pacific against sex- implemented programmes that contributed to ual abuse and exploitation of minors in the the establishment of mechanisms and proce- Greater Mekong subregion. It continued to take dures for precursor control. UNDCP also served part in the country-based common country as- as the substantive secretariat of the Commission sessment (CCA)/United Nations Development on Narcotic Drugs at its forty-third (2000) session Assistance Framework (UNDAF), which was lead- (see p. 1197) and assisted it in initiating the pro- ing to more systematic joint programming. The cess whereby States would report biennially on third interparliamentarian meeting on drug con- their efforts to meet the goals and targets for 2003 trol (Washington, D.C., February) was organized and 2008 set out in the Political Declaration, in cooperation with the United States Congress. adopted by the General Assembly in resolution In cooperation with the Asian Development S-20/2 [YUN 1998, p. 1136]. Bank, UNDCP introduced drug control activities Income to the UNDCP Fund for 2000-2001 was into rural development activities in the Lao Peo- estimated at $131.2 million, which was 7.5 per ple's Democratic Republic. cent less than in 1998-1999. UNDCP improved its UNDCP, through its Global Youth Network efficiency in programme delivery, with 79 per against Drug Abuse and the UNDCP and WHO cent going to programmes and 21 per cent to sup- Global Initiative on Primary Prevention of Sub- port activities. stance Abuse, continued to support young peo- In the area of research and laboratory activi- ple in finding solutions to drug abuse problems. ties, the UNDCP databases on estimates and long- It supported research activities on possible link- term trend analysis, which provided comprehen- ages between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, and was sive data on the worldwide drug problem and on active in the International Partnership against trend analysis, became operational. UNDCP AIDS in Africa, where, in collaboration with other worked with Interpol and the World Customs Or- UN agencies, it implemented several global, re- ganization on the creation of a common and ex- gional and national programmes that addressed panded database on individual seizure cases. It HIV/AIDS and drug abuse. provided expertise and data to the Financial Ac- tion Task Force on Money Laundering to help es- ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ACTION timate the magnitude of the problem; co-hosted On 27 July [meeting 43], the Economic and Social a workshop on dynamic drug policy to under- Council, on the recommendation of the Commis- stand and control drug epidemics; and, in co- sion on Narcotic Drugs [E/2000/28], adopted reso- operation with the European Centre for Social lution 2000/17 without vote [agenda item 14 (d)]. Welfare Policy and Research, undertook a proj- ect on demand reduction programmes and their Promotion of the design of national and impact on drug abuse. The project concluded regional prevention programmes through with an expert group meeting and the establish- an interdisciplinary approach ment of a network of social science researchers The Economic and Social Council, who would evaluate the structures of drug con- Recalling the United Nations Convention against Il- licit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Sub- trol institutions. UNDCP developed international stances of 1988, standards and guidelines to enhance Member Bearing in mind the Declaration on the Guiding Prin- States' capacity in drug testing and to promote ciples of Drug Demand Reduction, and in particular collaboration between national laboratory serv- the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declara- ices and law enforcement, judiciary and health tion on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Re- authorities. In that regard, UNDCP provided tech- duction, nical support to drug-testing laboratories in Be- Stressing the need for interdisciplinary teams to pro- nin and Cape Verde, and to UNDCP training cen- mote national and regional prevention programmes, tres in China, Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago. taking into account the specificities and distinguishing features of each region and country, with the aim of UNDCP continued to promote the mainstream- promoting health and individual and social well-being ing of drug control issues into the work of other and raising awareness, through positive messages, of agencies. Activities included collaboration with the consequences of drug abuse with regard to the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the achievement of that aim, 1192 Economic and social questions

Noting the need for exchange of information on ern and Western Africa. In Southern Africa, the efforts in this field to ensure the effectiveness of inter- first of 10 community centres for counselling, national cooperation and solidarity, treatment and rehabilitation of drug users in Having considered the Report of the International Narcot- ics Control Board for 1999, which points to the need to South Africa was inaugurated. UNDCP facilitated continue work on the design of policies to reduce the efforts to determine the extent of drug abuse by demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic sub- providing for rapid situation assessments in An- stances, gola, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, 1. Urges the United Nations International Drug Senegal and South Africa. In Burkina Faso, it Control Programme, subject to the availability of vol- provided training to community leaders and so- untary contributions, to support States and regional cial workers in drug abuse prevention and, in bodies in the design, through an interdisciplinary ap- proach, of national and regional prevention pro- East Africa, it assisted NGOs in improving their grammes, taking into account the specificities and dis- outreach programmes at the grass-roots level. tinguishing features of each region and country, with In an effort to suppress illicit drug trafficking, the aim of promoting health and individual and social UNDCP, in cooperation with INCB and WHO, well-being and raising awareness, through positive worked towards strengthening the capacity of na- messages, of the consequences of drug abuse with re- tional authorities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda gard to the achievement of that aim; and the United Republic of Tanzania to better 2. Urges Member States to promote the establish- control the supply and distribution of licit nar- ment of interdisciplinary approaches, as well as multi- disciplinary teams, to pursue, in the context of demand cotic drugs and psychotropic substances. In co- reduction, the objectives set out in paragraph 1 above; operation with the Universal Postal Union, 3. Calls for the promotion of information and edu- UNDCP launched an initiative to counter the in- cation programmes that will raise awareness of the creasing use of the mail system for drug traffick- risks of drug abuse, taking into account differences in ing and other organized crime and, in co- gender, culture and education among the target operation with the Customs Cooperation Council groups, with special attention being paid to children (World Customs Organization), undertook a pro- and young people, and will reflect sound, precise and balanced data; gramme to enhance the interdiction capacity of 4. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the law enforcement agencies at major ports in East- text of the present resolution to all Governments for ern and Southern Africa. Technical and advisory consideration. support was provided to assess the extent of can- nabis cultivation in the region. Sub-Saharan Africa UNDCP expanded the programme portfolio North Africa and the Middle East for Southern and Eastern Africa with a compre- In the Middle East, UNDCP initiated a sub- hensive regional framework integrating demand regional drug control programme to support the reduction, control measures, judicial develop- efforts of States in the Eastern Mediterranean to ment and cooperation. It initiated an African counter the drug problem. It signed a memoran- umbrella programme for demand reduction to dum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation support the development of drug abuse and HIV with the secretariat of the Council of Arab Minis- prevention programmes in various subregions. ters of the Interior to support judicial and other Renewed efforts were taken to develop law en- cooperation at the regional level. In May, UNDCP forcement expertise and capacity. The OAU data- and the Naif Arab Academy for Security Sciences base on African drug control experts, training agreed on a programme in the Middle East to centres and research institutes, developed with promote the sharing of expertise through joint UNDCP support, was in its final phase. In co- training seminars, the exchange of information, operation with the Southern African Develop- studies and publications. UNDCP also supported ment Community, UNDCP initiated, in October, a the initiative of the Palestinian Authority to har- regional legal assistance programme for the 19 monize drug control legislation on the basis of States of Southern and Eastern Africa and, in co- the UNDCP model laws, and provided legal train- operation with the EU, assisted in the formula- ing to prosecutors in Egypt and the Syrian Arab tion of national drug control strategies for Benin, Republic. Assessment missions were made to Al- the Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, geria, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and the Su- Guinea and Togo. Training was provided to na- dan to draw up national drug control master tional drug control coordinators from Central plans. and Western Africa. National drug control plans In the area of drug abuse prevention and re- were finalized in Kenya, Madagascar and the duction, UNDCP assisted Middle Eastern Govern- United Republic of Tanzania. ments in assessing their capacities and needs for UNDCP supported the development of net- treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers. In works of local demand reduction experts in East- cooperation with the World Food Programme International drug control 1193 and the United Nations Children's Fund, UNDCP operation with the Poland-Hungary Aid for the worked on cross-cutting issues, such as drug Reconstruction of the Economy programme of abuse among street children and promoting the the European Commission, UNDCP assisted Bul- establishment of networks of NGOs to support garia, Romania and FYROM in establishing drug prevention initiatives. Training workshops on intelligence units. UNDCP drew up a plan to sup- treatment and rehabilitation were held in the Pal- port a policing approach emphasizing intelli- estinian Autonomous Areas and a seminar was gence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, conducted to share the findings of a rapid drug Croatia, Romania, Slovenia and FYROM. abuse assessment. In Lebanon, UNDCP provided support to sus- South Asia tain the successful eradication of illicit poppy In India, UNDCP provided training for data col- cultivation in the Bekaa valley, in cooperation lection, the finalization of a rapid situation as- with interested donors, other agencies and the sessment, and the launching of a drug abuse Government. A training course on advanced law monitoring system to collect information and enforcement techniques was held and equipment plot trends. It granted technical support for the provided to the Lebanese police to strengthen national household survey of drug abuse. UNDCP their interdiction capacity. In support of an ini- assisted Nepal to amend drug control legislation tiative of Egypt, UNDCP conducted a baseline as- for compliance with international drug control sessment of socio-economic structures in the treaties. main areas of illicit cultivation. UNDCP worked Two community-wide programmes in India with Jordan to strengthen its drug law enforce- were implemented to reduce and prevent drug ment capacities, and provided specialized train- abuse among the general population, high-risk ing courses to the United Arab Emirates on the groups and drug abusers on a nationwide scale, control of precursors. while support was mobilized for a high-risk group in north-eastern provinces. A five-year Central and Eastern Europe plan for drug abuse control was initiated in Bang- In the Russian Federation, UNDCP completed ladesh and material for advocacy and drug educa- the implementation of the first phase of a com- tion was distributed to the Ministry of Education. prehensive programme on drug abuse preven- In Sri Lanka, in cooperation with WHO, UNDCP tion and countering drug-related organized provided training and support in data collection, crime. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it assisted the preventive services and treatment and rehabili- Government in preparing new drug control legis- tation activities, and established a drug abuse lation. monitoring system to cover general hospitals, Regarding drug abuse prevention and reduc- prisons and outreach and drop-in centres. tion in Central Europe, UNDCP assisted with the The results of a 2000 survey on illicit opium training of health-care professionals; building a poppy cultivation in north-eastern India were network of researchers and establishing a data- presented to the international community in base on patterns of and trends in drug abuse; New Delhi. UNDCP supported initiatives to foster and, in cooperation with the International La- cross-border cooperation between drug law en- bour Organization (ILO), promoting drug abuse forcement agencies in India and Myanmar, prevention in the workplace. Demand reduction which would be extended to include Bangladesh. programmes were drawn up for Albania, Bosnia A video on the control of precursors was pro- and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania duced and distributed to law enforcement insti- and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia tutions in India. In Bangladesh, 188 officials (FYROM). Some 25 drug abuse treatment provid- from the judiciary and police service received ers and health professionals from Belarus, the training to enhance inter-agency cooperation. Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federa- tion, with NGO assistance, were trained in mod- East Asia and the Pacific ern techniques to treat drug addictions. UNDCP The subregional action plan covering Cambo- also initiated a school-based prevention pro- dia, China, the Lao People's Democratic Repub- gramme in three Baltic States. lic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, the signa- In an effort to suppress illicit trafficking in tories with UNDCP to a 1993 MOU, provided the Central Europe, UNDCP provided technical sup- framework for cooperation in drug control mat- port to enhance capacities for drug law enforce- ters. The programmes pursued under the plan ment in five States and continued to strengthen related to capacity-building, data collection, the judicial cooperation between authorities of the dissemination of information, amphetamine- region. With the support of Interpol and in co- type stimulants, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, pre- 1194 Economic and social questions cursor control, law enforcement training and enforcement programmes, UNDCP prepared cross-border cooperation. UNDCP was engaged in model guidelines for police and customs inter- assisting Governments in East and South-East ventions in countering illicit drug trafficking, in Asia to meet the challenge of illicit manufacture, cooperation with Interpol and the World Cus- trafficking and abuse of amphetamine-type toms Organization; delivered communications stimulants. The Conference on Amphetamine- and training equipment for the Public Security type Stimulants in East and South-East Asia (To- Bureau Training School in the Yunnan province kyo, January), which recommended action for of China; and completed a subregional precursor Governments to counter their illicit manufac- control programme for East Asia. In the Lao Peo- ture, trafficking and abuse, contributed to a land- ple's Democratic Republic, a programme to mark commitment to tackle the problem by strengthen overall drug control capacity contin- ASEAN members and China, at a meeting con- ued with the establishment of a comprehensive vened by Thailand, ASEAN and UNDCP (Bang- data collection system. In Viet Nam, interdiction kok, 11-13 October). capacities were enhanced through the procure- UNDCP supported initiatives to prevent and re- ment of telecommunications and drug-detection duce drug abuse, including six workshops that equipment. To strengthen the judicial and prose- were held in Cambodia, China, Myanmar and cutorial capacity in the region, five national Thailand on the methodology for conducting na- workshops were conducted for judges, prosecu- tional drug abuse assessments and for data collec- tors and senior investigators in Cambodia, the tion, and on the use of related software systems Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, for data analysis. School surveys were conducted Thailand and Viet Nam. UNDCP provided legal in the Lao People's Democratic Republic and advice to authorities in Cambodia, the Lao Peo- Viet Nam. Initiatives to reduce drug abuse ple's Republic and Viet Nam on updating or among selected highland ethnic minority groups drafting new drug control legislation. were instituted across 17 sites in five countries. In its efforts to assist in eliminating illicit crop Demand reduction activities in the Lao People's cultivation, UNDCP launched an in-depth study Democratic Republic took place in the context of of alternative development in Thailand to review community-based alternative development ini- and document the experiences of a country with tiatives, targeting areas affected by illicit opium a long record of activity in the subregion. In cultivation; workshops on drug prevention were Myanmar, an initiative was under way that held following a national survey in the country; included agricultural development, income- and a community-based programme in Xieng generating activities and a programme of immu- Khouang province, which included training for nization covering over 90 per cent of children in health volunteers and the supply of materials 236 villages. A community-based programme for to the district detoxification centre, enhanced drug demand reduction was completed and social services in the participating 55 villages. In teachers were trained in school management and Myanmar, where UNDCP continued to support introduced to new teaching methods and educa- preventive education, over 300 persons partici- tion materials. Alternative development activities pated in the activities organized in cooperation in the Lao People's Democratic Republic re- with the NGO World Concern International. duced dependence on opium production and Community-level activities involved 27 villages consumption. The pilot phase of Viet Nam's and over 1,000 village participants. In Viet Nam, four-year alternative development programme an educational curriculum for drug abuse pre- targeting the poppy-cultivating Ky Son district vention and materials for training primary was completed. school teachers were finalized. Other initiatives included a national forum on drug treatment and West and Central Asia rehabilitation in Hanoi, a training course for UNDCP continued its work in Afghanistan, master trainers and courses for treatment profes- which in 2000 accounted for 79 per cent of sionals. global opium production. Working closely with Law enforcement activities to suppress illicit the "six plus two" group (the six States bordering trafficking continued to constitute a major part Afghanistan, plus the Russian Federation and of UNDCP's subregional cooperation. In collabo- the United States) and donor countries to ad- ration with the World Customs Organization, dress the illicit production of opium, UNDCP con- most modules of the computer-based, interactive vened a technical meeting (Vienna, May), fol- training programme in drug law enforcement lowed by a high-level meeting (New York, were completed, and the training, management September), which endorsed a regional plan of and evaluation system was improved following action to increase cooperation between States field-testing in northern Thailand. In other law bordering Afghanistan. Training on programme International drug control 1195 planning was offered to officials from drug regional coordination mechanisms to increase control-related institutions in Iran (March and the efficiency and effectiveness of regional law September). In Turkey, UNDCP supported the enforcement activities. National programmes creation of the Turkish International Academy included strengthening border controls and against Drugs and Organized Crime, established cross-border cooperation, improving the analysis to address the needs of 22 countries in the region. of information and training customs and border Demand reduction, with the focus on abuse of personnel. An international conference on en- opiates, particularly heroin, was an integral part hancing security and stability in Central Asia of UNDCP's pilot programme for Afghanistan. (Tashkent, Uzbekistan, October), sponsored by An assessment of the drug abuse problem in ru- the Office for Drug Control and Crime Preven- ral areas was undertaken; training courses in tion (ODCCP) of the Secretariat and the Organi- drug awareness and abuse prevention were or- zation for Security and Cooperation in Europe ganized; a day-care drop-in centre for heroin (OSCE), endorsed a set of priorities for co- addicts in Peshawar was established; and a operation between Central Asian States in the community-based treatment, rehabilitation and areas of drug control, organized crime and ter- prevention programme in a refugee camp near rorism. UNDCP organized the Central Asian Con- Peshawar was launched. In Iran, UNDCP organ- ference on Diversion of Chemicals into Illicit ized four workshops to address the role of NGOs Drug Trafficking (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Novem- in drug abuse prevention, harm reduction, the ber) to foster cooperation on the phenomenon. social impact of drug abuse, and devising a strat- In Tajikistan, the provision of $2.6 million in egy to reduce drug demand. In Pakistan, it sup- UNDCP assistance for the establishment of a drug ported the implementation of the national drug control agency led to a 70 per cent increase in control master plan and the launching of a rapid drug seizures in 2000. assessment of the drug abuse situation. A rapid situation assessment programme was initiated in Latin America and the Caribbean Central Asia to address the drug problem from a In 2000, UNDCP continued to support co- regional perspective, and training was provided operation in the Caribbean in regional law en- to enhance the mass media's capability to raise forcement programmes, including judicial co- public awareness of the adverse effects of drug operation and demand reduction programmes. trafficking and abuse. UNDCP participated in the process instituted by The UNDCP annual opium poppy survey of Af- the Permanent Central American Commission ghanistan indicated a 10 per cent decrease in for the Eradication of the Illicit Production, Traf- poppy cultivation over 1999. In Kandahar prov- fic, Consumption, and Use of Drugs and Psycho- ince and three UNDCP target districts where alter- tropic Substances to facilitate regional co- native development assistance was provided, operation in drug control by focusing on legal there was a reduction of about 50 per cent. In and judicial assistance, drug abuse prevention July, the Taliban issued a total ban on opium and advocacy. poppy cultivation during the 2000/01 planting In Central America, UNDCP cooperated with season. UNDCP would monitor the implementa- national drug control bodies, NGOs, other UN tion of the ban through the annual poppy survey agencies, the media and private enterprise to re- to assess the impact on cultivation and produc- duce drug demand. The UNDCP programme for tion. UNDCP cooperated with Pakistan in the for- Central America included projects in drug abuse mulation of a strategy for a programme for the prevention with both Governments and NGOs, Dir district, where opium poppy cultivation had the provision of legal advice and judicial training been eliminated, in order to sustain the achieve- and assistance to forensic laboratories. In the ment and to continue development assistance. In Caribbean, a regional communication and advo- Central Asia, following mapping of the extent of cacy programme on the theme "sports against illicit cultivation in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and drugs" was launched. Other initiatives included Tajikistan, results showed that cooperation be- a public information programme undertaken tween the three Governments and UNDCP had led with the Caribbean News Agency; community- to a reduction in illicit opium poppy cultivation. level activities led by the Caribbean Council of UNDCP initiated the establishment of a so- Churches; support for the training of trainers in called security belt around Afghanistan to con- methods of improving coordination and delivery tain and reduce the alarming flow of drugs of health and family life education programmes; trafficked from the country into neighbouring and the conduct of rapid assessment surveys in countries and to stop precursor chemicals used in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. A survey of heroin manufacture from reaching clandestine drug treatment and rehabilitation in prisons was laboratories. In that regard, UNDCP established completed in the Bahamas, and treatment serv- 1196 Economic and social questions ices were provided, along with training and volving drug trafficking and money-laundering. equipment, to Trinidad and Tobago. At the sub- Under the subregional forensic laboratory pro- regional level, UNDCP promoted common meth- grammes for Mexico, the Caribbean and Central ods and standards for epidemiological surveil- America, UNDCP provided equipment to analyse lance under a project based on an MOU signed by illicit drugs and their precursors, fellowships to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and train laboratory personnel and training courses UNDCP. In Nicaragua, a baseline study towards to upgrade laboratory services. A drug control establishing a prevention programme for chil- programme was initiated in Cuba to provide ex- dren and adolescents at risk was drawn up. In pert advice in the design of a drug control cur- Peru, UNDCP continued to assist the Government riculum for the police academy. UNDCP sup- in school-based prevention. An ongoing initia- ported national law enforcement programmes in tive in Bolivia on prevention was carried out in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, through 36 municipalities. Support was granted to create the provision of training programmes, telecom- multisectoral committees for drug control and to munication devices and computers. implement regional abuse prevention plans in Colombia. Brazil continued to implement UNDCP- Administrative and budgetary matters suggested drug abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, at its activities, mostly financed by the Government March session (see p. 1197), had before it a Janu- with World Bank support. In April, UNDCP initi- ary note by the Secretariat [E/CN.7/2000/10] that ated a multisectoral drug control programme in drew the Commission's attention to the need to Cuba. A UN inter-agency demand reduction pro- focus on programme support cost arrangements, gramme was initiated in Guyana, and the Do- the integrated financial information system and minican Republic was assisted in extending and the 2002-2005 medium-term plan. decentralizing its drug abuse prevention activi- In its review of programme support cost ar- ties to provinces throughout the country. rangements, the note stated that, in view of the UNDCP supported Bolivia, Colombia and Peru high level of earmarking and the decline in the in formulating three individual business plans general-purpose balance of the UNDCP Fund, it that combined the elimination of illicit drug was necessary to reconsider the appropriate level crops with alternative development measures. of programme support charges applied to proj- Collectively, the three plans consisted of 18 proj- ects, and that the Commission should authorize ects, 12 of which were being implemented. In to- charging up to 13 per cent in programme support tal, UNDCP support for alternative development charges on all UNDCP projects. Those charges in the Andean region rose from $4.1 million in should be authorized at the beginning of the mid-1998 to $11.5 million in mid-2000. 2000-2001 biennium. In March [E/2000/28], the In the area of illicit drug trafficking, UNDCP Commission decided to reconsider the issue of assisted the Caribbean Customs Law Enforce- programme support charges in 2001. The Secre- ment Council (CCLEC) to establish a regional tariat reported that its costs of the development clearance system for the control of movement of of an integrated financial information system vessels, with pilot workstations in Saint Lucia, would be presented in the context of a revised Trinidad and Tobago, and Puerto Rico. Through budget for 2000-2001, for submission to the Com- CCLEC, it provided training in risk profiling and mission at its forty-fourth (2001) session, should a targeting techniques to customs and port revised budget be required, or in the context of authorities in Curacao, the Dominican Republic, the final budget for 2000-2001, for submission to Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and To- the reconvened forty-fourth (2001) session. The bago. UNDCP facilitated the consultation process installation, adaptation and implementation of for the Caribbean Treaty to Suppress Illicit Mari- the system was scheduled to begin in February. time Trafficking, initiated by the Netherlands, by The work plan envisaged an 11-month imple- holding a preparatory conference (Curacao, No- mentation period. As to the 2002-2005 medium- vember), and assisted the Legal Affairs Commit- term plan, the report stated that the Secretary- tee of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to General had proposed joining the programmes finalize the Caribbean Treaty on Mutual Legal on international drug control and on crime pre- Assistance in Criminal Matters. In El Salvador, vention and criminal justice, forming one pro- Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua, members of gramme on international drug control and crime the judiciary received training in the judicial as- prevention. Thus, there would be one pro- pects of drug control and investigation. UNDCP gramme with four subprogrammes for drug con- assisted the Dominican Republic in the develop- trol and one subprogramme for crime prevention ment of a national judicial database, and pro- and criminal justice, all under the heading of the vided it with expert advice during key trials in- Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention of International drug control 1197 the Secretariat. The four subprogrammes on in- the proposed outline amounted to $198,254,600, ternational drug control of the proposed 2002- an increase of $10,663,900, or 5.6 per cent, com- 2005 medium-term plan were the same as the pared with the revised budget for 2000-2001. The 1998-2001 plan, which had been revised to incor- estimate of $206,071,900 in resources available porate new and expanded mandates for UNDCP in the outline for 2002-2003 reflected a decrease flowing from the twentieth special session of the of $5,435,100, compared with the revised esti- General Assembly in 1998. mate for 2000-2001. That decrease was a combi- In a November report on the proposed revised nation of a reduction of $ 13,696,100 in the open- biennial support and programme budget for ing balance offset by a modest estimated increase 2000-2001 for the UNDCP Fund [E/CN.7/2001/9], in income of $8,261,000. Income was estimated the UNDCP Executive Director stated that the re- at $152,496,000 for 2002-2003, compared with vised total Fund budget proposal amounted to $144,235,000 for 2000-2001. The report stated $187.6 million, compared to $200 million con- that about 90 per cent of the resources was pro- tained in the initial 2000-2001 Fund budget. The vided by the UNDCP Fund and 10 per cent was revised Fund budget comprised the programme from the regular budget. There had been a budget ($148.3 million), the biennial support marked turnaround from 1999 onwards, with the budget ($35.2 million) and agency support costs Fund budget increasing significantly because of ($4.1 million). The revised programme budget higher programme delivery. amounted to $148.3 million, compared to the ini- tial programme budget of $157 million, which represented a decrease of 5.5 per cent, reflecting Commission on Narcotic Drugs resource allocation trends that affected major The Commission on Narcotic Drugs held its programmes, mainly in Afghanistan, Myanmar forty-third session in Vienna from 6 to 15 March, and Peru. The revised support budget amounted during which it adopted 11 resolutions and one to $35.2 million, compared to the initial budget decision and recommended to the Economic and of $36.2 million, representing a decrease of 2.8 Social Council for adoption three draft resolu- per cent attributable to a volume decrease of tions and two draft decisions. $0.8 million and a cost decrease of $0.2 million. The Commission agreed to convene a Total resources budgeted at $187.6 million for ministerial-level segment in 2003 and 2008 to co- 2000-2001 were covered by Fund balances and es- incide with the target dates to meet the objectives timated income of $211.5 million, leaving a bal- decided upon at the special session of the Gen- ance of $23.9 million over and above the planned eral Assembly in 1998 [ Y U N 1998, p. 1135]. budget for 2000-2001, to fund ongoing pro- By a 15 March resolution [res. 43/1], the Com- grammes into 2002-2003. Compared to the initial mission streamlined the annual reports question- plan, the revised one was reduced by $12.4 mil- naire and requested the UNDCP Executive Direc- lion, or 6.2 per cent, with proportionate de- tor to revise it, taking into account the results of a creases in programme and support, so that the technical expert meeting (Lisbon, Portugal, plan maintained the balance in the use of re- January). He was asked to test the resulting draft sources, with 79 per cent going to programmes questionnaire in countries with various levels of and 21 per cent to support activities. Reviewing development with regard to data-collection ca- the funding situation, the report predicted that pacity and to submit a draft in 2001. sufficient funds would be available, mainly as a Further action taken by the Commission is de- result of increased income, to cover the proposed scribed below. budgets. However, the bulk of the increase had By decision 2000/240 of 27 July, the Economic been, and was expected to continue to be, special- and Social Council took note of the Commis- purpose resources, despite efforts by UNDCP to sion's report on its forty-third session [E/2000/28] obtain more general-purpose resources from tra- and approved the provisional agenda and docu- ditional and non-traditional sources. Therefore, mentation for the forty-fourth (2001) session, on a better balance between general- and special- the understanding that informal intersessional purpose income was needed to respond to new meetings would be held in Vienna, at no addi- programme opportunities and to sustain a min- tional cost, to finalize the items to be included in imum level necessary for the biennial support the provisional agenda and the documentation budget. In addition, with the reduction in Fund requirements for the forty-fourth session. balances, a timing gap arose between project im- plementation and funding. Demand reduction A November report of the UNDCP Executive At its forty-third session, the Commission on Director on the proposed outline for 2002-2003 Narcotic Drugs considered reduction of illicit de- for the UNDCP Fund [E/CN.7/2001/8] stated that mand for drugs. It had before it a report of the 1198 Economic and social questions

UNDCP Executive Director [YUN 1999, p. 1165] on assistance, subject to the availability of voluntary follow-up to the Action Plan for the Implementa- contributions, to countries that had eradicated tion of the Declaration on the Guiding Principles and continued to eradicate illicit crops, and that of Drug Demand Reduction and a note by the were seeking to avoid their relocation, through Secretariat on the world situation with regard to the implementation of sustainable alternative de- drug abuse [YUN 1999, p. 1188]. velopment programmes. By a 15 March resolution [res. 43/2] on follow-up A Commission resolution of the same date [res. to the Action Plan [YUN 1999, p. 1157], the Commis- 43/5] encouraged interested Governments to de- sion requested UNDCP to provide guidance and velop regional maritime agreements on co- assistance for the development of demand reduc- operation to suppress illicit maritime trafficking tion strategies and programmes in line with the in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, Declaration [YUN 1998, p. 1137], and to facilitate the and requested UNDCP to provide technical sup- sharing of information on best practices in sev- port to the negotiation processes. It supported eral areas. It called upon UNDCP, when preparing UNDCP efforts to facilitate coordination by States the regular budget proposals for the 2002-2003 parties, under article 17 of the 1988 Convention biennium, to allocate adequate resources to allow against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psy- it to fulfil its role in the implementation of the chotropic Substances [YUN 1988, p. 690], of ways to Action Plan, and called upon Member States to ensure more effective suppression of maritime implement the Action Plan. drug trafficking and encouraged States parties to consider establishing a mechanism to respond to Drug abuse requests subject to national procedures. In a 15 March resolution on enhancing assist- Another 15 March Commission resolution [res. ance to drug abusers [res. 43/3], the Commission 43/8] outlined a series of measures for States to urged Member States to develop services for early prevent the diversion of controlled pharmaceuti- detection, counselling, treatment, relapse pre- cals and illicitly obtained precursor chemicals in- vention, aftercare and social reintegration, and volving technologies based on the Internet. to find strategies and increase access to services Secretariat report. A December report by the designed to reach drug abusers. It invited Mem- Secretariat [E/CN.7/2001/5] provided an overview ber States to exchange with other Member States of global trends and patterns in illicit drug pro- and relevant national and international bodies duction and trafficking and of action taken by the information on their strategies, programmes and Commission's subsidiary bodies. The report, services, and called for the provision of voluntary which was based on information received from contributions for the implementation of the Ac- Governments in the annual reports question- tion Plan for the Implementation of the Declara- naires submitted to UNDCP and reports on indi- tion on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand vidual significant seizure cases, also drew on Reduction. The Commission asked the UNDCP information received from the International Executive Director to take into account the efforts Criminal Police Organization, the Customs Co- taken by Governments when preparing, for sub- operation Council, INCB and the Inter-American mission in 2001, the biennial report on follow-up Drug Abuse Control Commission. The report to the twentieth special session of the General As- stated that the global supply of heroin declined sembly [YUN 1998, p. 1135]. in 2000, mainly because of a decline in opium A Commission resolution of the same date [res. production in Afghanistan from over 5,700 tons 43/4] urged States to assign priority to activities in 1999 to some 4,700 tons in 2000. Afghanistan aimed at preventing drug and inhalant abuse was also responsible for the production peak in among children, and to implement prevention 1999, though the overproduction was not passed programmes, training plans, grass-roots activities on to Western Europe, the main consumer re- and treatment and rehabilitation projects tar- gion, where prices and seizures of heroin re- geted at children and young people, and special mained stable in many countries. Enormous sei- prevention projects targeted at children in diffi- zure increases were, however, noted in countries cult circumstances, particularly street children surrounding Afghanistan. In East and South- and children affected by conflict situations. UNDCP East Asia, China emerged as an important con- was requested to report in 2001 on the situation duit for opiate trafficking. It was estimated that with regard to drug abuse among children and on cocaine production continued at stable levels, prevention and treatment programmes. with Bolivia and Peru indicating decreases, while estimates for Colombia reflected further in- Illicit cultivation and trafficking creases. In 1999, seizures of cocaine rose in both By a 15 March resolution [res. 43/6], the Com- major consumer regions, the United States and mission urged UNDCP to continue to provide Western Europe. International drug control 1199

Production and trafficking of amphetamine- the General Assembly, and recommended to the type stimulants, mainly methamphetamine, rose Commission the adoption of a draft resolution rapidly in East and South-East Asia. In North on enhancing regional cooperation on drug con- America, the trafficking of methamphetamine trol through training, and the approval of a draft continued, but the main concern was related to resolution on international cooperation for the Ecstasy-type substances, imported in large quan- control of narcotic drugs for adoption by the Eco- tities from Western Europe. Trafficking in nomic and Social Council. It brought to the Com- amphetamine-type stimulants within Western mission's attention a resolution on the control of Europe stabilized. The report also provided an acetic anhydride, a precursor frequently used in overview of action taken by the Commission's the illicit manufacture of heroin. subsidiary bodies (see below). The Tenth Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA), Latin Regional cooperation America and the Caribbean (Ottawa, Canada, By a 15 March resolution on enhancing re- 3-6 October) [UNDCP/HONLAC/2000/4] examined gional cooperation through a regional database major regional drug-trafficking trends and coun- on drug-related crimes [res. 43/7], the Commis- termeasures and adopted recommendations on sion, taking note of the threat posed by the in- demand reduction, psychotropic substances and creasing illicit cultivation of, and trafficking in, precursors. The Twenty-fourth Meeting of HON- narcotic drugs in South-West Asia and the pro- LEA, Asia and the Pacific (Yangon, Myanmar, ceedings of the first International Conference of 14-17 November) [UNDCP/HONLAP/2000/5] ana- Drug Liaison Officers (Tehran, Iran, 17-18 Janu- lysed the drug situation with respect to regional ary), invited the States concerned to continue to and subregional cooperation and made recom- hold meetings of drug liaison officers in South- mendations on illicit traffic in, and consumption West Asia. It called on States to establish a point of, heroin; the impact of electronic crime on of contact to ensure the timely sharing of opera- drug-trafficking strategy; the control of stimu- tional intelligence, and requested the UNDCP Ex- lants; and illicit traffic by sea. ecutive Director to ensure assistance to establish in Tehran a South-West Asian regional database on drug-related crimes. UN inter-agency coordination During the year, three of the Commission's subsidiary bodies, following a review of drug- The Subcommittee on Drug Control of the trafficking trends and regional and subregional Administrative Committee on Coordination cooperation, addressed drug law enforcement (ACC), at its eighth session (Vienna, 28 and issues of priority concern. The thirty-fifth ses- 29 September) [ACC/2000/17], considered a draft sion of the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic ACC guidance note for UN system activities to and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East counter the drug problem. The Secretariat had (Antalya, Turkey, 26-30 June) [UNDCP/SUBCOM/ suggested that the draft be finalized with the in- 2000/6] adopted recommendations on measures tention of providing authoritative guidance to for law enforcement agencies to mobilize com- UN country teams in their coordination of and munity support for anti-drug objectives; the support to various levels of intervention, from as- elimination or reduction of corrupt practices by sessments and plans to technical cooperation drug law enforcement personnel; and measures programmes and projects in their country/coun- to prevent illicit traffic including smuggling tries of operation. through the mail and express services, and the di- The Subcommittee endorsed a draft UN sys- version of precursors. The Subcommission re- tem position paper on preventing HIV transmis- viewed progress made in implementing resolu- sion among drug abusers, which was annexed to tions adopted by the twentieth special session of the report.