DRUG TRAFFICKING -- `ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL ISSUES OF OUR AGE', SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS RIMINI, ITALY, MEETING IN VIDEO MESSAGE
Press Release
SG/SM/6340
SOC/NAR/1770
DRUG TRAFFICKING -- `ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL ISSUES OF OUR AGE', SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS RIMINI, ITALY, MEETING IN VIDEO MESSAGE
19970930 ADVANCE TEXT VIENNA, 2 October (UN Information Service) -- Following is the text of the video message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the third International Meeting of the Rainbow International Association against Drugs, which is taking place today in San Patrignano, Rimini, Italy:Drug abuse is of concern to us all. It hurts not only the individual but society at large. Use of illicit drugs affects social behaviour, the environment, the economy and ultimately the safety and security of our world. No country is immune. The illicit drug industry is an enormous criminal business. It generates huge profits: about $400 billion per year. Sales of illicit drugs internationally are equivalent to about 8 per cent of total world trade. We must renew our determination to fight organized crime and drug trafficking. Next year, a special session of the United Nations General Assembly will meet to provide further focus to our efforts. As you know, I have recently appointed former Senator Pino Arlacchi to head the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. Senator Arlacchi showed that it was possible to combat organized crime in Italy. He now brings that commitment and energy to the international level, to what I consider to be one of the most crucial issues of our age. Drugs ruin people's lives. Most at risk are young people. Sadly, in many parts of the world, drug abuse by the young is on the increase. And children are experimenting with drugs at even younger ages. The popularity of newer designer drugs, such as Ecstasy, is also worrying. Young people seem to imagine them to be safer than traditional drugs like heroin and cocaine. This is wrong. We must do more to reduce the appeal of drugs to young people. We must make possible a future in which they can flourish and mature -- without being undermined by the scourge of drugs. But we can only be successful in this if we join forces -- with community leaders, with teachers, with parents and with young people themselves. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme is working with grass-roots youth programmes to form a global network for the prevention of drug abuse by young people. I ask for your active support of this Programme. I wish you every success in this, your third International Rainbow Meeting. * *** *