ILLICIT DRUG USE, PRODUCTION STILL HIGH IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

BANGKOK, June 23 (Bernama) -- Despite great efforts made by countries, the
production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs still represent serious
challenges to human security, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(Unodc) said Tuesday.

It said that "The World Drug Report 2009", to be formally launched on
Thursday, would highlight the growing issue of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS)
involving their production, trafficking and consumption, and the continuing
prevalence of heroin use in East-Asian communities.

In a statement, the UN's anti-narcotics body said the annual survey of
illicit drug trends around the world "shows there are positive trends in
Southeast Asia, such as a likely drop in opium consumption and a levelling of
poppy cultivation".

The report also shows several unintended consequences produced by
international drug control systems, including the creation of a lucrative black
market for drugs and the violence and corruption it generates, as well as
negative effects on drug users caused by an emphasis on incarceration rather
than treatment that is widespread across many countries.

Unodc executive director Antonio Maria Costa said changes were necessary to
the organisation, besides implementation of international drug control systems,
including a shift in law enforcement focus "from drug users to drug
traffickers", and for member states "to pursue the goal of universal access to
drug treatment as a commitment to save lives and reduce drug demand".
-- BERNAMA