SPEAKERS IN COMMISSION VOICE CONCERN AT RISING DRUG PROBLEMS DESPITE PRIORITY GIVEN TO COMBATING SCOURGE
Press Release
SOC/NAR/726
SPEAKERS IN COMMISSION VOICE CONCERN AT RISING DRUG PROBLEMS DESPITE PRIORITY GIVEN TO COMBATING SCOURGE
19960418 Delegates Debate Government Response in Implementing Global Action Plan(Reproduced as received from UN Information Service.)
VIENNA, 16 April -- Speakers in the general debate of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs this afternoon expressed concern that drug problems were increasing despite the high priority given to the fight against them. In the continuing debate on Government action to implement the Global Programme of Action, participants described various national approaches to control illicit drugs.
The representative of Bolivia noted that a fundamental pillar of his country's drug strategy involved agreements with farmers and unions to voluntarily eradicate coca crops in return for financial compensation and assistance in the development of alternative crops.
The representative of Turkey emphasized that her Government had continued to carry out its responsibilities in the area of narcotic drugs during the past year, even though Turkey had not been re-elected to the Commission. Her country had been the forerunner of the most secure system of poppy straw cultivation that was the most costly but had proved to be 100 per cent successful.
In Australia, the representative of that country said, consideration was being given to a proposal to supply pharmaceutical heroin in a controlled manner to registered adults. He emphasized that there had been no final decision on whether such a programme should proceed. It was valuable, however, to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the harm reduction approach to drug problems.
A number of countries spoke out against the decriminalization of drugs. The representative of Argentina stated his Government's firm opposition and said that would mean giving in to drug trafficking and would result in elevating the consumption of illicit drugs to the same level as legal drugs. The representative of Sweden added that if drugs were to be legalized, the
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success of current prevention policies would deteriorate drastically.
Expressing the view of a number of delegates, the representative of Morocco said that globalization of the economy, the opening of borders and the expansion of trade greatly facilitated drug trafficking. It was essential that there be an international approach and an international commitment in the struggle against the drug trade.
Other speakers in this afternoon's debate were the representatives of Germany, Italy (on behalf of the European Union and in its own capacity), Spain, Israel, Russian Federation, South Africa and France.
(For background on the session, see Press Release UNIS/NAR/556, issued on 15 April.)
General Debate
ALFRED PROTZ (Germany) said many States and organizations were playing an active role in the implementation of the International Drug Control Programme. He hoped that a lasting action against the scourge of drugs was now under way. It was important that as many States as possible reply to the questionnaire distributed by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, or informed the Programme through other suitable reports of their activities. Furthermore, countries must take into account the recommendations made by the Secretary-General for improving the implementation of the Global Programme of Action in their future anti-drug strategy.
The activities and priorities of drug control had to be constantly adapted to an ever changing environment. Referring to the growing problem with the illicit import and consumption of amphetamine derivatives and so-called ecstasy drugs, he said his Government had scheduled, as illicit, drugs which might not be placed on the market for medical or scientific purposes, all the illicit amphetamine derivatives that had appeared so far on the market, as well as four new substances of that kind. At the same time, a study on the consumption patterns of ecstasy drugs had been commissioned. In addition, the Government was conducting a prevention campaign in cooperation with discotheques and disc jockeys.
He said Germany had become a main point of transit from the Eastern European and Commonwealth of Independent States for all kinds of illicit drugs. In response, the Government had concluded cooperation agreements on combating organized crime with many of those countries. He emphasized the importance of alternative development programmes aimed at eliminating the economic and social causes of poppy and coca cultivation, adding that such programmes could only succeed if demand reduction activities were carried out simultaneously. Germany had spent some 380 million deutsche marks between
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1989 and 1994 for alternative development assistance and would continue to focus its external drug control assistance in that area.
VICTOR HUGO CANELAS ZANNIER (Bolivia) said the coordinated and systematic application of the country's drug strategy had moved Bolivia from second to third position in the production of coca and cocaine. The successful implementation of an education programme had raised public awareness of the risks associated with drug use. Additional measures that had reduced the amount of raw materials used in the production of drugs included the destruction of factories, confiscation of drugs and detainment of those caught in drug trafficking crimes. Increased numbers of people were involved in the fight against drugs, and where previously there was no punishment for corrupt officials, corruption was now punishable and many people, including judges, were serving jail sentences.
The fundamental pillar of Bolivia's drug strategy was the eradication of surplus and illegal coca, he said. Last year saw the destruction of record numbers of coca crops. In an effort to maintain social harmony, the Bolivian Government had brokered agreements with farmers and unions to voluntarily eradicate coca crops in return for financial compensation and assistance with the development of alternative crops. This voluntary eradication, achieved through working with the growers, had proved the most economic and efficient way to eradicate coca. Bolivian legislation forbad the use of chemical agents or forcible eradication.
He predicted that by the year 2000, Bolivia would no longer be a producer of the raw materials required in the production of cocaine. Coca growers were increasingly interested in alternate forms of development that offered them secure incomes. However, while Bolivia was a strong, progressive country, its economy was weak, and he appealed to Governments to share responsibility in the fight against drugs by assisting in the funding of his country's alternative development programme.
TONY KINGDON (Australia) said the impact of drugs, both lawful and unlawful, had been recognized by the new Government in his country as one of the most devastating social harms it had experienced. He therefore welcomed the forthcoming debate on the elements of a draft declaration on demand reduction and looked forward to participating in the further development of that text. He voiced concern that there had been only eight responses from Member States to the invitation by the UNDCP to comment on the proposed draft. He hoped the issue would be given higher priority by all Governments in the future.
It was essential for the UNDCP to concentrate on matters of principle in developing issues such as the demand reduction declaration, he continued. It was equally important that individual nations should have the freedom to
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develop strategies which responded appropriately to their own situation. In his country, for example, consideration was being given to a proposal to supply pharmaceutical heroin in a controlled manner to registered adults. However, there had not been a final decision on whether such a programme should proceed. It was valuable to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the harm reduction approach to drug problems. While it might not be an appropriate policy for all countries, it was a practical approach which had been broadly supported by the Australian public and had led to some outstanding successes in reducing social, economic and health-related harms to the Australian community.
He added that harm reduction did not work effectively unless there was full cooperation and understanding between those responsible for supply control and health or rehabilitation services. He emphasized that harm reduction should not be equated to legalization. Australia's approach was not inconsistent with its international treaty obligations.
The increase in deaths from heroin overdose was of great concern to the Australian community, he said, and the Government had created a multidisciplinary group tasked with addressing the issue. He encouraged a discussion among Member States about mechanisms that would improve multilateral communication on both supply control and demand reduction of illicit drugs.
LUIGI ROSSI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the European Union (EU), said that combating drugs had become a priority within the Union. In defining an effective strategy to fight drugs, it was fundamental to adopt a multidisciplinary approach that did not distinguish between countries where drugs were produced, transmitted or consumed, and to collaborate and coordinate initiatives.
The fight against corruption, which could undermine the credibility of institutions fighting the drug problem, should be added to the basic strategy of international cooperation to control financial flows, fight illicit drug production and trafficking, and promote demand reduction. To contribute towards curbing demand, the Union deemed it necessary to combine preventive measures, including those for assistance and treatment, with repressive ones, as it was convinced that only such an overall vision would make it possible to achieve positive results.
The European Union was developing joint actions in countries that were most exposed to the threat of drugs, he said. A report containing action proposals for Latin America and the Caribbean would be completed by the end of this month, and a mechanism for cooperation between the EU and those areas would be established.
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JOSE ANTONIO DE YTURRIAGA BARBERAN (Spain) said he supported the Global Programme of Action. Spain had introduced important legislative changes, including a series of amendments to the penal code which reflected a strengthening of controls against drugs. The new code covered crimes relating to money laundering and associated organized crime. In addition, a new decree encompassed specific measures against money laundering. A fund derived from the proceeds confiscated in connection with the investigation and repression of drug trafficking was dedicated to programmes for drug prevention and the rehabilitation of drug users. Control mechanisms had been strengthened to prevent the diversification of controlled substances. In Spain's programme to strengthen the repression of drug trafficking, over 44,000 suspects had been detained and 17,000 of them brought to trial. Large quantities of heroin, cocaine and MDMA ("ecstacy") had been seized and the traffickers arrested.
He appealed to Member States to provide resources to the UNDCP. He said the process of identifying amphetamine products should be simplified. He favoured an agreed global strategy on such issues as harm reduction, prevention, suppression of illicit drug trafficking and money laundering.
ABDERRAHIM BENMOUSSA (Morocco) said that globalization of the economy, the opening up of borders and the expansion of trade greatly facilitated drug trafficking. No single country could struggle against the drug problem because the distinctions between producer, consumer and transit countries were blurred, as were the distinctions between soft and hard drugs. An international approach and commitment in the struggle against the drug trade was essential. Morocco's anti-drug campaign had dismantled 20 drug-trafficking networks and apprehended many Moroccan and foreign drug traffickers. Despite the high costs involved, his country would continue in the fight and next year would establish a national centre for research on the prevention of drug addiction.
Thanking the European Union for assisting in the economic development of regions previously used for growing cannabis, and Spain and France for foregoing debt in return for further development of those regions, he reaffirmed Morocco's commitment to pursue the development of alternate crops in those areas. Morocco was also implementing a broader drug strategy that included the development of a draft law on money laundering.
While drawing attention to the contradictory policies of the international community, such as the decriminalization of drug use in some countries, he stressed that the existence of a common strategy was indispensable. The UNDCP should continue to help the international community understand the phenomena of drugs, heighten awareness among young people, undertake a study on the consequences of decriminalization in those countries that had done so and encourage other organizations to work for the prevention of, and action against, drug consumption. Citing the irreplaceable role of
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the UNDCP and the United Nations system in the struggle against drugs, he suggested that substantial additional UNDCP resources could be drawn from a portion of the frozen assets of drug traffickers. Such assets could also be used in the struggle against drugs at the national and international levels.
FUGEN OK (Turkey) said fund-raising efforts should be directed to all countries confronting some aspect of the drug problem. Additional contributions could be shared by a larger number of countries thereby reducing the burden on a few. In that connection, her country had increased its contribution by 33 per cent last year. Although a traditional producing country, Turkey had continued to carry out its responsibilities in the area of narcotic drugs during the past year, even though it had not been re-elected to the Commission. Her country had been the forerunner of the most secure system of poppy straw cultivation which, while the most costly, had nevertheless proved to be 100 per cent successful.
It was more difficult to control illicit trafficking across Turkey, she went on to say. Demand reduction efforts in Europe were not sufficient or effective enough and the demand continued. Moreover, illicit production of narcotic raw materials persisted in the traditional production areas in the Far East, Near East and Middle East. New illicit cultivation had appeared in certain former Soviet countries. Turkey continued to seize increasing quantities of narcotic drugs and precursors, an indication of the growing demand for those substances in Europe. Fenetylline, illicitly produced in Europe, continued to be smuggled through Turkey to the Middle East. Those and other trends were indications that the Balkan Route remained a significant channel for illicit trafficking and that precursors such as acetic anhydride and substances such as fenetylline in Europe were increasingly and perhaps more freely smuggled from that region to the Middle East.
Cooperation with the main producing countries to prevent smuggling of precursors was not successful. Immense amounts of acetic anhydride were smuggled into Turkey from Europe and converted into heroin before being seized by Turkish law enforcement authorities. The main responsibility lay with the producers of that precursor. Her Government expected the Commission to adopt new mechanisms of cooperation with the producing countries to relieve the burden of seizing that substance on behalf of the enforcement authorities of transit countries.
She strongly urged the Commission to establish an effective monitoring mechanism for the trade of precursors similar to that applied to narcotic substances. It was time that an authorization system for the import and export of psychotropic substances in Schedules III and IV were established. She recommended a similar control for substances in Tables I and II of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
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While the control of money laundering was an effective way to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, it was not sufficient, she said. The illicit trafficking-terrorism-organized-crime triangle must be examined and measures taken against it. The time had come to consider preparing an international convention to commit parties to refrain from protecting, hosting or supporting terrorists, organized criminals and illicit narcotic traffickers. Democratic countries should prevent such illicit organizations from seeking refuge in their territories under the cover of "political activities".
She said the tendency to legalize drugs in some Western countries was a serious set-back for cooperation. It would be difficult for countries like Turkey, where drug abuse was minimal, to pursue its costly and burdening enforcement under those circumstances. She urged the Commission to adopt one policy of combating drugs. It was also time for a declaration on reduction demand to be adopted. Moreover, the UNDCP should elaborate a strategy to encourage the active participation of the private sector and non-governmental organizations in different aspects of the combat against narcotic drugs.
ALBERTO INDELICATO (Italy) highlighted his Government's strategy to fight against drugs at the national level. Through cooperation between the courts and police, dangerous criminal organizations had recently been successfully targeted and, as a consequence, the supply of drugs had been reduced. Demand reduction policies were aimed at the roots of social problems in the areas of youth, family, school and sports. Media campaigns had successfully reached all segments of society, particularly those groups that were most vulnerable. He called upon countries that had not yet done so to adhere to the international drug Conventions.
JAKOB LINDBERG (Sweden) observed that while all drug problems had not been solved, the vast majority of populations strongly repudiated drugs and their use as the result of prevention policies. If drugs were legalized, the situation would deteriorate drastically. While there was an excellent basis for successfully combating drugs by implementing the United Nations Conventions on drugs and the Global Programme of Action, that strategy had not been carried out consistently and much remained to be done by individual nations to fulfil the global drug strategy.
Drug problems could not be solved simply by limiting production and trafficking; demand must also be reduced, he said. The role of the United Nations in that area was much more difficult. There must be a balanced approach between demand and supply reduction and between various demand reduction activities. It also required a close interplay between primary preventive measures aiming to influence public opinion, preventive efforts addressed to groups at risk, as well as care for drug abusers which included helping them to re-enter the community.
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Groups working for the legalization of drugs utilized the concept of harm reduction in their long-term strategy, he noted. That risked creating a situation in which the methods of harm reduction could replace the broad, balanced efforts needed to reduce the drug problem in that it shifted focus on measures which aimed to limit the harm caused by drug abuse rather than to reduce the drug problem itself.
SHLOMO GAL (Israel) said his country would continue to promote cooperation on the bilateral and multilateral levels, noting that the prospect of peace in the Middle East region had opened new channels of communication between Israel and its neighbours. The first subregional drug control technical meeting had been held in Cairo in July 1995. He looked forward to a time when all countries in the region would work together to combat the scourge of illegal drugs.
His Government invested great effort in reducing the supply of, and demand for, illicit drugs. Israel's Anti-Drug Authority was the national institution for planning, coordination and promotion of activities in combating the drug scourge. It promoted the application of more severe sentences for drug offenders, especially drug dealers, and there was an increase in the number of prosecutions of such offenders. While he agreed that law enforcement by itself could not provide the solution to the drug problem, efforts to eliminate the supply of illegal drugs through law enforcement and effective interdiction played a key role in Israel's short- and medium-term activities.
In the past year, Israel had made progress in long-term measures, such as treatment, rehabilitation and education, designed to stem the demand for narcotics and other illegal drugs. Education programmes were conducted in 60 per cent of the schools and treatment and rehabilitation infrastructures had been improved. Moreover, it was mandatory for every institution or body engaged in treatment to obtain an operating licence keyed to binding standards for the treatment of drug abuse. There was a significant increase in the mobilization of youth activities to enhance prevention. While the priority was on education, based on the understanding that prevention was better than cure, special emphasis was placed on treatment for teenagers.
JULIO ARAOZ (Argentina) said that since 1989, his country had enacted legislation on narcotics that not only enforced laws against abusing and trafficking drugs but established measures for rehabilitation and curing drug addiction. Argentina supported the universalization of international treaties on drug control but encouraged countries to incorporate steps in their national legislation towards that end. The Commission should examine the feasibility of a convention that provided States with globally effective laws and mechanisms against money laundering.
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He firmly opposed the decriminalization of drugs as that meant giving in to drug trafficking. The result would be an elevation in the consumption of illicit drugs to the same level as legal drugs and the undue use of drugs and alcohol. Another approach should be taken to the long-term challenge. States should continue to support bilateral and multilateral agreements regarding money laundering, as that would facilitate control at the international level. Argentina was no longer vulnerable and unprepared for the necessary action to protect against the persistence of drug activities. He stressed that training helped decrease vulnerability.
He expressed concern over the financial difficulties confronting the United Nations and supported the Executive Director's suggestions for achieving greater flexibility and management. The drug problem was a permanent threat to the international community and combating it required the cooperation of all States.
VLADIMIR E. TARABRIN (Russian Federation) said the struggle against drug abuse was a fight against organized crime and corruption. The drug situation in Russia was complicated and rapid growth in the number of drug consumers had led to an increase in drug-related crimes. The smuggling of drugs from abroad and the transit of drugs through the Federation was increasing fast.
Russia's strategy, in the short-term, was to slow the growth of the drug threat and, in the longer-term, to reduce the extent of the problem. An intensive effort had been made to draft drug legislation and to review existing criminal legislation relating to drug offences. Additional elements of the strategy included: improvements in aerospace techniques used to identify drug crops; bilateral agreements with 44 countries; and a priority to establish a more coordinated approach with the Commonwealth of Independent States.
J.A. DAVIES (South Africa) said southern Africa was developing into a transit route for illicit drugs and that the region was becoming a substantial consumer market. South Africa was committed to act in accordance with internationally accepted standards and measures and hoped to become a party to the 1988 Convention later this year.
Southern Africa was particularly vulnerable to infiltration by international drug traffickers and had focused on the problem with the assistance of the European Union, he said. At a Southern African Development Community (SADC) drug conference held recently in his country, member States had expressed a willingness to cooperate with each other in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse. Implementation of the commitments made at the conference was now required, including regional programmes of assistance for the development of drug-countering capacity and personnel training. Commending the work of the UNDCP and its regional office in Nairobi, he offered South
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Africa's assistance. While agreeing on the importance for member countries and the UNDCP jointly to adopt a needs-driven approach rather than a project approach, he underscored the need for a commitment to the principle of equal partnership between Governments and the UNDCP in the needs assessment of a country.
DANIEL LABROSSE (France) reiterated his country's dedication to the implementation of the Global Programme of Action. France's drug policy fitted into the framework of the provisions adopted by the international community. Prevention constituted a priority. Legislation had been improved and the parliament was considering several draft laws against the trafficking of illicit drugs. The country was committed to bringing national legislation in line with international Conventions.
The international community must adhere to existing Conventions before adopting more stringent measures, he said. All new initiatives against drug abuse should be based on coherence and logic. He approved the principle of convening a new conference as it would respond to the need for precise assessments of efforts in the struggle against drugs and determine whether to strengthen or reorient procedures. Experts had uncovered alarming changes in the use of drugs such as "ecstasy" which might become the scourge of the future. An assessment of the means available in the struggle against drugs could be the theme of a new conference. Such a conference must be compatible with the initiatives launched since the enactment of the Programme of Action.
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