Commission recommends priority for drug control activities, continues work on new drug convention.

Commission recommends priority for drug control activities, continues work on new drug convention

ACTION to improve methods ofinternational drug control and reduce the demand for and abuse of illicit narcotics and psychotropic substances, including the preparation of a new international convention, was the crucial concern of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its 1987 session.

The 40-member body, the UnitedNations main policy-making organ on international drug control matters, adopted nine resolutions and decisions at its thirty-second session (Vienna, 2-11 February).

The Commission reviewed progressmade on drafting a new convention against traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, which was called for by the General Assembly in December 1984 (resolution 39/141). The proposed treaty is to deal with various aspects of illicit narcotic drug traffic, particularly those not envisaged in existing international instruments.

During its eight-day session, theCommission also recommended that its parent body, the Economic and Social Council, ask the Secretary-General, in allocating United Nations resources, to give international drug control activities priority, with a view to implementing follow-up activities of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, scheduled to be held from 17 to 26 June in Vienna (see special section).

Final arrangements for that globalmeeting were approved by the Commission, which met from 12 to 18 February in Vienna as the Preparatory Body for the Drug Conference (see p.45).

In considering the activities ofUnited Nations agencies active in drug abuse control, the Commission also recommended that the Economic and Social Council endorse the recently adopted policy approach of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control, based on the formulation and implementation of national and regional plans, referred to as "master plans', involving both donor and assistance-receiving countries.

It also urged that the Fund be encouragedto continue to build up-- with the assistance of competent United Nations bodies, other international bodies and the collaboration of interested Governments, in terms of political and financial support--"the capacity to respond to national, regional, interregional and global needs in the drug abuse control field'.

The Commission, which normallymeets biennially, decided to hold a special 10-day session next year, in 1988.

Enrique Parejo Gonzalez of Colombia,who was elected as Chairman of the Commission on 2 February, said that drug trafficking was the most serious threat to civil institutions, particularly in developing countries which had limited resources to combat it. While the International Conference would establish the basis for the struggle against illicit drugs, each country must establish its own legislation and mechanisms, he said.

Also on 2 February, Mowaffak Allaf,Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, noted that political commitment to more effective international drug control had increased in tandem with the growing level of concern among parents, educators, community and religious leaders, and government officials.

The Commission's 40 membersrepresent: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, France, German Democratic Republic, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, USSR, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Zambia.

Draft convention: Work on the newinternational convention was initiated in February 1985, at the request of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. A preliminary draft instrument was prepared by the United Nations Division of Narcotic Drugs and circulated to all Member States in August 1986 for their comments and proposals.

During its 1987 session, the Commissionanalysed the 14-article draft in light of those comments. Some draft provisions deal with: law enforcement co-operation and training; controlled delivery; control of chemicals used in illicit processing; suppression of materials and equipment used in illicit production; eradication of narcotic plants cultivated illegally; prevention of illicit traffic by air and sea; use of free-trade zones and free ports for illicit traffic; and use of postal services for illicit traffic; tracing, freezing and forfeiture of illegal proceeds of drug trafficking; extradition; mutual legal assistance; and international sanctions.

The Commission recommendedthat the Economic and Social Council establish an intergovernmental expert group to review progress so far in elaborating the draft convention, reach agreement wherever possible on proposed articles, and prepare a revised working document on the basis of that agreement for submission to the Commission at its next session. The Commission envisaged two sessions of the expert group during 1987.

States were asked to help the expertgroup by providing their comments on the main causes of increasing drug abuse, illicit production of and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Transit States were asked to submit, for consideration by the expert group, draft provisions on suppressing illicit transit traffic through their territories.

International controls: The Commissionplaced five barbiturates widely used for therapeutic purposes under international control in accordance with the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which controls synthetic drugs not covered under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

Placed on Schedule III was butalbital.Allobarbital, butobarbital, secbutabarbital and vinylbital were listed on Schedule IV. The scheduling of those drugs was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) which had considered 31 such substances and their potential for abuse. (Drugs are listed on schedules, which have different standards of stringency for methods of control.)

In other action aimed at improvingcontrol of international trade in psychotropic substances, the Commission recommended that the Council request all Governments to establish mechanisms for monitoring exports of substances listed on Schedules III and IV and to take necessary steps to alert importing countries in advance of shipments that might be a cause of concern.

The Commission also decided thatWHO should be asked to resume its review of Finland's pending notification regarding exemption from control of certain preparations containing psychotropic substances.

Other action: Acting on the recommendationof its Sub-Commission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East, which met in Vienna on 28 and 29 January, the Commission urged Governments to improve their reporting procedures, export/import controls and facilities for exchanging drug law enforcement information regarding psychotropic substances and essential precursor chemicals, and to assist in developing and improving communications systems in order to strengthen drug law enforcement agencies in the region.

The Commission recommendedthat the Division of Narcotic Drugs, in close co-operation with other United Nations entities and with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and other groups, give high priority to pursuing a long-term, comprehensive training programme for drug law enforcement officers. The Commission called for the convening of a regional meeting of heads of national drug law enforcement agencies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Commission recommendedthat the Council urge all Governments that had not yet done so to seriously consider ways of implementing resolutions relating to supply and demand of opiates for medical and scientific needs in order to improve the current situation.

The Council was also asked by theCommission to urge Governments to ensure that preventive information regarding drug abuse and illicit trafficking not involve elements that would evoke curiosity or the desire to experiment with narcotic drugs and that it clearly indicate the negative harmful consequences of drug abuse. Governments would be asked to pay close attention that preventive information did not contain details that might make access to drugs easy, such as detailed descriptions of methods and routes of illicit traffic.

The Commission also urgedGovernments which had not yet done so to prohibit the manufacture or import of heroin and its use on human beings, taking into account the relevant provision of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

The Commission by consensus alsoagreed to ask WHO to continue its review of standing exemptions granted by Governments to certain formulae of drugs officially placed under international control within the guidelines of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

The Commission also reviewed areport (A/41/559) on the First International Meeting of Heads of National Drug Enforcement Agencies in Vienna (28 July-1 August 1986), which recommended formulating a strategy to identify links between illicit drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime, taking particular account of the need to ensure tracing and forfeiture of the proceeds of all drug-related crime.

Photo: United States representative Patricia M. Byrne (left) presents a $60,000 check from her Government to William B. Buffum, Under-Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs, for the Co-ordinating Fund for the Substantive Preparations for the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.