Just before the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, the World Drug Report 2009 was launched in Washington, D.C., by UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa and the newly appointed Director of the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske.

The Report shows that global markets for cocaine, opiates and cannabis are steady or in decline, while the production and use of synthetic drugs is feared to be increasing in the developing world.

It is stated in the report that cannabis remains the drug that is most widely cultivated and used around the world, although estimates are less precise. Data also show that it is more harmful than commonly believed. The average tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content - the harmful component - of hydroponic marijuana in North America has almost doubled in the past decade. This has major implications for health, as evidenced by a significant rise in the number of people seeking treatment.

While the use of synthetic drugs - amphetamines, methamphetamine and Ecstasy - has levelled off in developed countries, new data, though limited, suggest an increase in their use in the developing world.

The Report pays special attention to the impact of drug-related crime, and calls for stronger measures to fight such crime and for more resources for drug prevention and treatment.

It also offers several recommendations on how to improve drug control. These include universal access to drug treatment, international agreements against organized crime and greater efficiency in law enforcement.

Download World Drug Report 2009 in English.

More information on the World Drug Report 2009 is available at www.unodc.org

Add your comment

Your name:
Your email:
Comment:
Word verification:
	Post Preview