June 26, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 10, 1428

VIENNA, June 25: Efforts to eradicate the world’s drug problem are paying off as cultivation, production and abuse appear to have stabilised worldwide, the UN said in its 2007 World Drug Report published on Monday.

“Recent data show that the run-away train of drug addiction has slowed down,” said the head of the United Nations' Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa, in a statement published with the report.

“For almost all drugs — cocaine, heroin, cannabis and amphetamines — there are signs of overall stability, whether we speak of production, trafficking or consumption,” he said, adding he hoped this trend would continue.

The area used for coca cultivation worldwide dropped by 29 per cent between 2000 and 2006, and by 52 per cent in Colombia alone.

Some 42 per cent of all cocaine produced was also seized last year, up from 24 per cent seven years ago.

Meanwhile, the so-called Golden Triangle, an area comprising parts of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand that was once one of Asia's largest opium producers, is now “almost opium free,” according to Costa.

Poppy cultivation — which can be used to produce heroin, morphine and opium — fell in that region by about 80 per cent since 2000.

Progress in certain areas however is often offset by negative trends in other regions, and a better productivity, the report said.

Despite a fall in poppy cultivation in southeast Asia, opium production reached a record 6,610 tonnes (7,286 short tons) worldwide last year, up 43 per cent from 2005.

This was due to an almost 50 per cent increase in production in Afghanistan, which was responsible for 92 per cent of the world's opium.

Similarly, even though coca cultivation dropped last year, as much cocaine was produced worldwide as in 2005, “apparently due to improvements in coca cultivation and cocaine production technology,” the report said.

It also noted that while cocaine demand was decreasing in North America, “consumption increased significantly in Europe, doubling or tripling in several countries over the last decade.” Cannabis, or marijuana, remained the most widely-used drug. Of the 200 million people (aged 15-64) — five percent of the world population — who are drug-users, some 160 million take cannabis, the report said.

But Costa remained positive, noting that “for the first time in years, we do not see an upward trend in the global production and consumption of cannabis.” Meanwhile, demand for amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), including amphetamine, methamphetamine and ecstasy, was also stabilising after strong increases in the 1990s.

Positive trends could still be reversed however and the fight against drugs is far from over, Costa said.

“The situation, while stable, is fragile and could be undone by any number of factors. More importantly, since there are still 25 million problem drug users in the world, there is plenty of room for improvement.” In areas such as Colombia and the Golden Triangle, poor farmers should be given assistance to develop alternative crops and prevent them from reverting to growing coca or opium poppy, the UNODC chief said.

Improvements were also needed in national law enforcement to increase drug seizures, block trafficking routes and crack down on corruption, which benefit drug suppliers.

Costa called on the international community to tackle local conflicts which exacerbated the drug problem.

“In Afghanistan, opium is a security issue, more than a drug issue,” he said, pointing out that illicit cultivation in southern Helmand province matched that of entire countries.

“Effective surgery on Helmand's drug and insurgency cancer will rid the world of the most dangerous source of its most dangerous narcotic and go a long way to bringing security to the region.” Ultimately however, drugs could not be eradicated without reducing demand, he added, calling for better prevention and therapy.

“The lives of at least one out of every 200 people in the world are ruled by drugs,” he said.

“Drug addiction is an illness that can be prevented and treated... Treating those who suffer from drugs is an investment in the health of our nations as much as treating HIV, diabetes or TB.”—AFP