E/INCB/2001/1 D. Europe success of all eradication efforts made by Governments outside of Europe is bound to be limited. Major developments Treaty adherence 496. Europe remains a major source of illicitly manufactured synthetic drugs, abused widely by young 501. Since the last report of the Board was published, people both within and outside the region. The Board Albania has ratified the 1961 Convention and the 1988 is concerned about the easy availability of synthetic Convention and Belarus and Ukraine have acceded to drugs throughout the region. In central and eastern the 1972 Protocol amending the 1961 Convention. Of Europe, a noticeable increase in the illicit manufacture the 44 States in Europe, 43 are parties to the 1961 and abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants has been Convention, 42 are parties to the 1971 Convention and reported. The Board calls for more cooperation among 41 States and the European Community are parties to countries in the region in order to effectively address the 1988 Convention. those problems. Europe remains the second largest 502. The Holy See, Liechtenstein and Switzerland illicit market for cocaine in the world, after North remain the only States in Europe that have not yet America. ratified the 1988 Convention. 497. In the past decade, the countries in central and 503. The Board notes with satisfaction that Albania, eastern Europe have experienced a significant increase the only State in Europe that was not a party to any of in drug abuse and illicit trafficking. While cannabis the international drug control treaties, has acceded to remains the most widely abused drug, the availability the 1961 Convention and to the 1988 Convention. The of opiates originating in south-west Asia has increased. Board encourages Albania to become a party to the Authorities in some countries are concerned by the 1971 Convention as well. appearance of “open-drug scenes”, which is a new phenomenon in central and eastern Europe. Regional cooperation 498. Drug trafficking in Europe often involves 504. On their way to becoming integrated into the organized criminal groups. For example, Russian law European Union, a number of countries in central and enforcement authorities reported that the number of eastern Europe benefit from assistance provided by drug-related crimes committed by such groups institutions of the European Union. For example, the increased sixfold from 1996 to 2000. Drug trafficking Phare programme has been active in providing in the region continues to be in the hands of assistance to strengthen the capacity of law transnational organized criminal groups. International enforcement authorities to deal with drug-related and drug trafficking organizations are increasingly cross-border crime and to develop chemical controls. smuggling more than one type of drug. Regional cooperation could be further fostered by 499. Some countries in western Europe have including the surrounding States in those efforts, in decriminalized offences related to the possession and particular in efforts aimed at strengthening criminal abuse of controlled drugs and openly tolerate the abuse intelligence capabilities and the exchange of of drugs, particularly cannabis and MDMA (Ecstasy). information at the regional level. CIS member States The Governments of those countries should consider operate a common database on drug-related cases, whether that is the proper strategy for achieving the created under a multilateral intergovernmental agree- targets set by the General Assembly at its twentieth ment on cooperation in combating the trafficking in special session, in particular the target of significantly narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. reducing drug abuse by the year 2008. So far, none of 505. Another example of subregional cooperation are the Governments concerned have been able to provide the activities of the centre for combating transborder to the Board information showing that the application crime, established by the Southeast European of such measures reduces the demand for illicit drugs. Cooperative Initiative in Bucharest, which serves as a 500. As long as there is no significant reduction of the focal point for sharing information, including demand for cannabis in most parts of western Europe, information on drug trafficking, among countries in the where cannabis abuse is increasingly tolerated, the subregion. 73 E/INCB/2001/1 506. Member States of the European Union have sentences might still be applied, however, if cannabis started to implement the European Union Action Plan is abused in the presence of minors, in schools or at the to Combat Drugs (2000-2004), a political framework workplace. Similarly, effective July 2001, penal guiding the activities of the European Union in the sanctions in Portugal no longer apply to the illicit use, field of drug control. The Board appreciates the fact possession and acquisition for personal abuse of all that the European Commission, in cooperation with the drugs; instead, those offences are now subject to European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug administrative sanctions such as fines or other Addiction, has begun examining existing drug co- limitations of rights. The Board would like to remind ordination arrangements in the member States of the States that article 3, paragraph 2, of the 1988 European Union, with a view to further strengthening Convention requires each party to that Convention to them. The Board encourages each presidency of the establish as a criminal offence under its domestic law, European Council to focus its programme on the when committed intentionally, the possession, purchase implementation of the Action Plan, in order to ensure or cultivation of narcotic drugs or psychotropic its full implementation by the end of 2004. substances for personal consumption contrary to the provisions of the 1961 Convention, the 1961 National legislation, policy and action Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, or the 1971 Convention, keeping in mind that parties have to 507. A new law on the medical use of analgesics meet their fundamental obligation under all three entered into force in Italy in March 2001. The law conventions to limit the use of controlled substances to significantly simplifies the procedures for the medical and scientific purposes. prescription of opioids. Prescriptions no longer have to be handwritten and they may cover medication for a 510. The Board wishes to reiterate62 that the period of up to 30 days of treatment (the previous establishment of drug injection rooms, where addicts maximum period was eight days). Opioids needed to can abuse drugs obtained from illicit sources, under meet urgent requirements may now be held and direct or indirect supervision of the Government, is transported by doctors and can be administered in the contrary to the international drug control treaties. patient’s home. Sanctions for violation of adminis- 511. The Board notes that most countries in central trative procedures on the prescription of opioids were and eastern Europe have made substantial steps significantly reduced. The new law should enable an towards developing their national drug control legis- increase in the medical use of opioids in Italy, which lation, as well as in upgrading their administrative and has one of the lowest average levels of consumption of coordination structures. That is partly related to the narcotic analgesics in Europe. process of expanding the membership of the European 508. In Germany, regulations amending the Narcotics Union, as many candidate countries have adjusted their Prescription Regulation in order to increase security drug control measures and begun to adapt their legis- and control of drugs used in maintenance programmes lation to meet the standards of the European Union. went into effect in June 2001. Physicians who pre- Although the process varies in intensity throughout scribe substitution drugs for heroin addicts must show central and eastern Europe, most Governments have that the addicts qualify for drug substitution therapy. In elaborated and implemented in a more consistent man- addition, all prescriptions of substitution drugs will be ner multidisciplinary national drug control strategies. registered in a central register. The Board welcomes 512. The Board urges the Government of the Russian the efforts by the Government of Germany to curb the Federation to complete the adoption and promulgation diversion of drugs used in maintenance programmes of all remaining regulations for ensuring the full and encourages the Governments of other countries implementation of the 1997 law on narcotic drugs and with drug maintenance programmes to take similar psychotropic substances. steps. 513. Even when legal and institutional frameworks are 509. According to a new law that entered into force in in place, Governments’ capacities to implement effec- Luxembourg in May 2001, prison sentences are no tively the adopted measures remain limited in central longer given for the abuse of cannabis or the and eastern Europe. The problem is largely at the possession of cannabis for personal abuse. Prison working level and it stems from limitations in 74 E/INCB/2001/1 financial, material and human resources. Some 2008 entitled “Building on Experience”. The overall authorities experience difficulties related to lack of, for objective of the strategy is to significantly reduce the example, legislation on the use in courts of evidence harm that drug abuse causes to individuals and society collected during