Transcript Bolivia`s denunciation of the Convention on Narcotic Drugs

Annual Report 2011
dedicated to the Centennial of the International Opium
Convention of the Hague of 1912
Embargo: 11:00 CET, 28 February 2012
Social cohesion and illegal drugs
• Youth of marginalized communities need protection from
drug abuse
• Recommendations:
– Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services
– Addressing symbols and promoting positive role models
– Community rehabilitation and policing
– Educational and employment opportunities
Bolivia’s denunciation of the Convention on
Narcotic Drugs
• Bolivia denounced the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs in
2011 and announced its intention to re-accede with a formal
reservation regarding coca leaf, in particular coca leaf chewing
• Coca leaf is a narcotic drug, subject to strict control measures
• Possible repercussions in other countries
• Contrary to fundamental objective and spirit of Convention
• Board committed to ongoing dialogue with Bolivia
Illegal Internet pharmacies
• Drugs increasingly ordered via illegal Internet pharmacies
• Over half of the medicines are counterfeit!
• Young audiences targeted via social media
• Board: close illegal Internet pharmacies and seize
substances illicitly ordered
More "designer" chemicals in illicit drug
manufacture
• Non-scheduled chemicals increasingly used by criminals to
bypass existing control systems
• Increasing use of “designer” precursors or pre-precursors
• Expanded control measures in some countries
• Board: use PEN Online system to limit access
Africa
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Cocaine trafficked from South America through Africa, especially West
Africa, into Europe. Increasing use of shipping containers and
commercial aircraft by traffickers
Increasing flow of heroin into Africa through East Africa leading to
increased drug abuse
Morocco remains a major producer of cannabis resin, destined mainly
for Europe and North Africa, but cultivation has decreased significantly
New threat - smuggling of amphetamine-type stimulants from Africa into
other regions
Diversion of precursor chemicals continues, especially in East and
West Africa. Diverted and counterfeit drugs available on unregulated
markets pose a serious public health problem
Cannabis remains the most widely abused drug
Central America and the Caribbean
• Continues to be a major transit area for drugs trafficked from
South America to North America
• Escalation of drug-related violence, especially in the socalled “Northern Triangle” (El Salvador, Guatemala and the
Honduras) and Jamaica
• 90 % of the cocaine in the United States is trafficked via
Mexico. Drugs smuggled into Central America mainly by sea
and increasingly by light aircraft
• Cocaine abuse is above the global average
• Cocaine main substance causing drug-related death
North America
• World's largest illicit drug market
• Continuing high levels of illicit drug production,
manufacture, trade and consumption
• Cannabis still the most widely produced illicit drug in
this region
• Highest annual drug-related mortality rate in the world
• Prescription drug abuse is a significant problem
– Now fastest growing drug problem in the United
States
• Drug-related violence continues to be widespread in
Mexico, despite the Government’s determined action
South America
• Area of illicit coca bush cultivation decreased by 6% percent
• Global seizures of cocaine stable, but the location has
shifted to South America, now accounting for over half of
global seizures
• Cannabis remains the primary drug of abuse in South
America
• Cocaine abuse higher than global average
• Cocaine most frequently cited substance causing drugrelated death
East and South-East Asia
• Illicit opium poppy cultivation and opium production
continued to increase in Myanmar and the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic
• Large-scale illicit trafficking in methamphetamine
• Abuse of methamphetamine increasing in many countries
• Illicit trafficking in and growing abuse of ketamine, a
substance not under international control, is a prominent
problem
• Limited drug treatment services and shortage of qualified
health-care professionals restrict development of
programmes for prevention and treatment of drug abuse
South Asia
• Increasing problems with abuse of prescription drugs and
over-the-counter pharmaceutical preparations containing
narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
– Often obtained through pharmacies that do not respect
prescription requirements or through illegal Internet
pharmacies
• Ongoing illicit manufacture and trafficking of amphetaminetype stimulants and their precursors
• Rising levels of injecting drug abuse contributing to an
increase in HIV and hepatitis C infection rates
West Asia
• Region remains epicentre of illicit opium poppy cultivation,
with significant increases in opium production in 2011
• High levels of abuse of opiates in West Asia
• Drug seizures have increased for most controlled drugs
• Increase in legitimate imports of precursors ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine
– Board urges Governments to review their annual legitimate
requirements
• 10 tons of amphetamines seized in the Middle East, mainly in
Saudi Arabia
Europe
• Cannabis use increased in some countries
• Illicit cultivation of cannabis increased dramatically in Western
and Central Europe, mainly indoors and on an industrial scale
• Some countries tolerate indoor cultivation for personal use,
which is not in compliance with the Conventions
• Stable but high level of cocaine abuse
• Increased cocaine trafficking into Europe via North Africa
• Heroin the biggest drug problem in Europe, in terms of
morbidity and mortality
• Signs that methamphetamine is replacing amphetamine in
northern part of Europe
• Increasing variety of drugs of abuse, including substances
not under international control
Oceania
• Low rate of accession to the international drug control treaties
among Pacific Island States
• Countries not parties to all of the Conventions are increasingly
becoming destinations or trans-shipment areas for trafficking
of drugs and precursors
• Trafficking of cocaine into Australia is an emerging issue
• Organised criminal groups are actively involved in drug
trafficking in Oceania