Drugs

Multilingual Dictionary of Precursos and Chemicals Frequently Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:45:26 GMT

Similar to controlled narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, Precursors and Chemicals appear under a wide variety of names, particularly in commerce and in the technical literature. This complicates the task of national and international drug control authorities and a series of multilingual dictionaries have been developed primarily to help these authorities.

The first multilingual list of substances under international control published in 19581, was limited to narcotic drugs. In 19832, the first edition of the Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control (MLD) was published with extended the coverage to psychotropic substances. Subsequent editions (19933 and 20064) incorporate the data contained in the previous editions, together with the most recent information.

The Multilingual Dictionary of Precursors and Chemicals Frequently Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control, covering the scheduled substances listed in the tables of 1988 Convention, has been developed using the same principles, criteria and format applied to the Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control, and completes this set of international drug dictionaries. The four-part dictionary provides individual monographs on the substances under international control; an alphabetical cross- index of the names included in the monographs; bilingual lists of all scheduled substances in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, each translated from and to English5 and finally information on the international regime of control, providing details on the scheduling history and the control status of the substances concerned.

Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Under International Control Volume 2

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:30:09 GMT

Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under international control appear in a variety of names, particularly in commerce and in technical literature. This complicates the task of national and international drug control authorities. The Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control has been developed primarily to help those authorities, and every effort was made to make it as complete as possible.

The first multilingual list of substances under international control covered only narcotic drugs and was published in 19581. The first edition of the� Multilingual Dictionary in its present form, covering both narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, was published in 19832 and was followed by a second edition in 19933. The present edition continues those updates, incorporating the data contained in the previous editions, together with the most recent information available on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under international control. A new and separate publication, the� Multilingual Dictionary of Precursors and Essential Chemicals under International Control covering the substances listed in the 1988 Convention4, completes this set of international drug dictionaries.

This third and revised edition of the� Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control uses the same principles and criteria applied to the 1993 edition, and the same format is retained: PART ONE provides individual monographs on the substances under international control, and PART TWO an alphabetical cross-index of the names included in the monographs.

In addition, the present edition is now complemented with new Parts Three and Four: PART THREE contains bilingual lists of all scheduled substances in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, each translated from and to English. PART FOUR consists of information on the international regime of control, providing details on the scheduling history and the control status of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances concerned.

Finally, the EXPLANATORY NOTES in the present edition, have been revised and improved with the intention of making the� Dictionary easier to use.

Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Under International Control Volume 1

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:28:42 GMT

The first multilingual list of substances under international control covered only narcotic drugs and was published in 19581. The first edition of the Multilingual Dictionary in its present form, covering both narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, was published in 19832 and was followed by a second edition in 19933. The present edition continues those updates, incorporating the data contained in the previous editions, together with the most recent information available on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under international control. A new and separate publication, the Multilingual Dictionary of Precursors and Essential Chemicals under International Control covering the substances listed in the 1988 Convention4, completes this set of international drug dictionaries.

This third and revised edition of the Multilingual Dictionary of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances under International Control uses the same principles and criteria applied to the 1993 edition, and the same format is retained: PART ONE provides individual monographs on the substances under international control, and PART TWO an alphabetical cross-index of the names included in the monographs.

Finally, the EXPLANATORY NOTES in the present edition, have been revised and improved with the intention of making the Dictionary easier to use.

Keeping tabs on synthetic drugs

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:41:43 GMT

5 November 2009 - Globally, there are significantly more users of synthetic drugs than there are users of heroin and cocaine combined. Unlike the markets for heroin and cocaine, the market for�synthetic�drugs is constantly evolving, with new products appearing each year.

"West Africa is now on the verge of becoming a source of drugs, not only a transit area. Organized crime is growing indigenous roots."

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Global Smart Update Volume 2 (High Res)

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:03:05 GMT

Global Smart Update Volume 2 (Low Res)

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:01:40 GMT

Triangular cooperation fights drugs and builds confidence

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:01:45 GMT

28 October 2009 - Senior officials from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan met in Vienna on 27 October 2009 for a ministerial meeting of the UNODC-brokered Triangular Initiative. This Initiative, launched in June 2007, is designed to strengthen drug control among the three countries most seriously affected by Afghan opium.

Addiction, crime and insurgency

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:06:01 GMT

UNODC reveals devastating impact of Afghan opium

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:04:12 GMT

21 October 2009 - In a new report, Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium, UNODC shows the devastating consequences that the 900 tons of opium and 375 tons of heroin that are trafficked from Afghanistan every year have on the health and security of countries along the Balkan and Eurasian drug routes, of countries in Europe, of China, India and the Russian Federation.

Video Presentation Afghan Threats Report

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:29:06 GMT

A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The transnational threat of Afghan opium

New report on devastating impact of Afghan opium

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:32:40 GMT

19 October 2009 - On Wednesday, 21 October, UNODC will unveil a new publication entitled Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium.

The publication shows the devastating consequences that opium and heroin have on the health and security of countries along the drug routes. Watch a live interview on CNN with UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa on Wednesday, 21 October, at 3 p.m. EST (9 p.m. Vienna time).

Virtuous trilogy vs. sinister nexus

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:54:00 GMT

In my view, it is both. Change for the better has happened. Yet, more is necessary and possible. No doubt, over the past ten years we have learned and demonstrated that drugs can be contained by improving health, there can be justice where there has been crime, and security can prevail over terror. But these improvements do not come by themselves: we need to nurture, foster and promote them with unmitigated commitment. And then we have to build operational alliances among Member States, and with all other stakeholders.

How many lives would have been lost if we didn't have controls on drugs?

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:29:52 GMT

There is a growing chorus, not least in the pages of the Observer, calling for an end to drug control. The arguments are by now well known: too many people are going to jail and not to treatment. Eradicating the supply of illicit drugs is meaningless without reducing demand. Drug control has spawned a massive criminal black market. Some even say that the costs of prohibition far outweigh the benefits (although there is no body count of people who haven't died thanks to drug control versus those who have been killed in the crossfire).

Ecuador monitoreo de cultivos de coca - sept 2009

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:34:15 GMT

Initiative to curb trade in chemicals for illicit drugs

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:42:20 GMT

4 September 2009 - The trafficking in chemicals required for the manufacture of cocaine, heroin and stimulants such as amphetamine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy (commonly referred to as precursors) is of particular concern to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

UNODC and the European Commission partner to strengthen national authorities to prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals from the licit market into Latin America and the Caribbean.

CNN Covers 2009 UNODC Afghan Report

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:11:16 GMT

Afghan Opium Survey

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:25:20 GMT

Afghan Opium Market Plummets, says UNODC

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:59:51 GMT

Afghan Opium Market Plummets, says UNODC

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:59:40 GMT

2009 Afghan Opium Survey Summary Findings B-roll

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:03:33 GMT

B-roll 2009 Afghan Opium Survey Summary Findings. Download broadcast quality b-roll.

Afghan Opium Market Plummets, says UNODC

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:21:42 GMT

Interview with counsellor at Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:13:44 GMT

20 August 2009 - The UNODC Regional Office for South Asia recently interviewed Tshewang Tenzin, peer counsellor at the Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency. A recovering drug user, Mr. Tenzin talks about drug use trends, the kind of treatment available to drug users and ways of further improving service delivery at health centres in Bhutan. Mr. Tenzin strives to act as an example for the youth of Bhutan by advocating a life free from drugs.

International Youth Day: It's your health, it's your future

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:41:10 GMT

12 August 2009 - As the world marks International Youth Day today, UNODC calls on young people to take charge of their health and future.

Using drugs at an early age has been linked to negative health and social outcomes in later years. As a teenager has told UNODC: "Drugs are bad when you want to achieve your goals."

D�a Internacional de la Juventud: Es tu salud, es tu futuro

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:30:08 GMT

International Youth Day: It's your health, it's your future

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:29:21 GMT

12 August 2009 - As the world marks International Youth Day today, UNODC calls on young people to take charge of their health and future.

Using drugs at an early age has been linked to negative health and social outcomes in later years. As a teenager has told UNODC: "Drugs are bad when you want to achieve your goals."

Evidence of drug lab activity in West Africa

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:51:15 GMT

7 August 2009 - The large quantities of chemicals seized on 15 July by the armed forces of Guinea at several locations in Conakry are far in excess of the country's legitimate demands. Expert assessments confirm that some of the substances are chemicals used to produce drugs, such as ecstasy (MDMA) and solvents commonly used in the processing of cocaine and heroin, that are under international control.

Evidence of clandestine laboratory activity in West Africa

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:02:35 GMT

Mother of six speaks of her journey with drug addiction

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:45 GMT

17 July 2009 - Amina is 35 years old. She is married and has six children. She is also addicted to heroin.

Amina started using drugs at the age of 10, when she was working as a carpet weaver. The job was strenuous and her workmates advised her to use opium to get relief from the tiredness.

Organized crime plundering West Africa, says UNODC report

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:59:14 GMT

7 July 2009 - Trafficking in persons, drugs, oil, cigarettes, counterfeit medicines, toxic waste and electronic waste ("e-waste") is posing a serious threat to security and development in West Africa.

A UNODC report released today in New York shows that in some cases, the value of trafficking flows through the region surpasses the combined GDP of the West African States, which are among the world's poorest countries.

Transnational Trafficking and the Rule of Law in West Africa: A Threat Assessment

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:54:31 GMT

Transnational Trafficking and the Rule of Law in West Africa: A Threat Assessment

In conversation with Mohamed Rashid, a recovering drug user

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:57:23 GMT

3 July 2009: The Regional UNODC Office for South Asia recently interviewed Mohamed Rashid, a recovering drug user from Maldives. Rashid gives an account of his journey with drugs, how he found help and what he is doing now to assist people with drug addiction.

Managua meeting strengthens regional response to drugs and crime in Central America

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:52:33 GMT

2 July 2009 - Central America is caught in the cross-fire between the world's biggest suppliers of coca (the Andean countries) and the world's biggest consumer of cocaine (North America). The organized crime, violence and corruption that come with this illicit trade pose a threat to security and deepen vulnerability. Ministers from the region recently met and agreed on a political declaration and regional programme to tackle crime, illicit drugs and terrorism.

Drugs PSA 2009 - Make Health your Fashion -- Not drugs

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:00:19 GMT

Make health your fashion, not drugs! Join UNODC in the World Drug Campaign -- www.unodc.org/drugs

UNODC Launch of the World Drug Report 2009

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:37:16 GMT

UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa and US Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske release UNODCs World Drug Report 2009 followed by questions from the press and twitter.

Statistics highlight link between injecting drug use and HIV

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:23:57 GMT

30 June 2009 - Injecting drug use is responsible for an increasing proportion of HIV infections in many parts of the world. It is estimated in the World Drug Report 2009 that between 11 and 21 million people worldwide inject drugs, and of those, between 0.8 and 6.6 million are infected with HIV.

Drugs PSA 2009 - Make Health your Fashion

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:12:00 GMT

On World Drug Day 2009 UNODC launched a PSA calling young people to protect their health from drugs.

Why does cannabis potency matter?

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:34:26 GMT

29 June 2009 - Of the many people worldwide who use cannabis, also known as marijuana, very few understand the increase in its potency over the years. Cannabis has changed dramatically since the 1970s. New methods of production have increased the potency and the negative effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the most psychoactive of the chemical substances found in marijuana. It is important to understand cannabis potency because of its link to health problems including mental health.

World Drug Day Focuses on Reducing Suffering and Vulnerability

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:31:08 GMT

VIENNA 26 June (UN Information Service) - This year's International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (World Drug Day) is highlighting the need to reduce suffering and vulnerability caused by drugs. In a message to mark the day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said "let us join together to help people suffering from drug addiction and to reduce the number of dangerous places on this planet where drugs are produced, trafficked and consumed."

World Drug Day: Secretary-General's message and public service announcement for youth

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:48:55 GMT

26 June 2009 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for help for people suffering from drug addiction, with a further call to reduce the number of dangerous places where drugs are produced, trafficked and consumed.

UNODC, as part of its world drug campaign, today premieres a new public service announcement (PSA) which follows four young people as their health deteriorates and they are transformed by the ravages of drug use.

Global coverage of the World Drug Report 2009

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:54:23 GMT

25 June 2009 - The World Drug Report 2009 has received global interest and coverage.

For the first time, UNODC presented the World Drug Report in a variety of media formats to cater for its wide audience. The digital media page, dedicated to the Report, presented a live webcast of the launch in Washington, D.C., including a question and answer session with international journalists. The page also presents video and audio podcasts of experts discussing the different drug themes presented in the report.

UNODC Drugs PSA 2009

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:36:13 GMT

Make health your fashion. Not drugs.

World Drug Report 2009 released

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:38:08 GMT

24 June 2009 - UNODC today released the World Drug Report 2009. The Report 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.

World Drug Report 2009 Highlights Links Between Drugs and Crime

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:22:08 GMT

Entrevue avec Thomas Pietschmann: tendances mondiales du trafic de drogues

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:02:38 GMT

Entretien avec Thomas Pietschmann qui d�voile les derni�res tendances mondiales du trafic de drogues. Il nous parle de saisies r�centes ainsi que l'usage de la drogue chez les jeunes.

Interview with UNODC drug expert: Treating drug users reduces demand

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:02:02 GMT

Ted Leggett talks about trafficking routes and how to improve drug control while uncovering latest drug trends from the World Drug Report 2009.

World Drug Report 2009

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:04 GMT

The World Drug Report presents comprehensive information on the illicit drug situation. It provides detailed estimates and trends on production, trafficking and consumption in the opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants markets. This year, for the first time, the World Drug Report includes special feature sections on the quality of drug data available to UNODC, trends in drug use among young people and police-recorded drug offences. It also discusses one the most formidable unintended consequences of drug control - the black market for drugs - and how the international community best can tackle it.

Interview with UNODC drug expert: A downward trend in major markets

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:42:45 GMT

Thomas Pietschmann is revealing new statistics about drug markets and discussing the downward trend in major markets such as opium and cocaine.

Interview with Amphetamines type stimulant expert

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:40:52 GMT

Matthew Nice discusses the rise in use and production of synthetic drugs as well as dangerous mixes of methamphetamine and ecstasy.

UNODC World Drug Report 2009 to be released today

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:01:40 GMT

24 June 2009 - At 10 a.m. Washington D.C. local time (EDT) today, UNODC will release the 2009 edition of its flagship publication, the World Drug Report. UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa and newly appointed Director of the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, will release the Report and take questions from the press and through Twitter. A webcast of the press conference and all relevant materials can be found at http://live.unodc.org. Use #wdr2009 to pose a question via Twitter before 9 a.m. EDT.

Afghanistan identifies cutting agents for heroin

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:17:00 GMT

22 June 2009 - Many drug dealers, motivated by higher profits, use chemicals to "cut" illicit drugs in order to increase the quantities they can sell to consumers. Some of the chemicals alter the effects of the drugs.

In 2008, the laboratory of the Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA), through improved forensic capacities and facilities, was able to identify several pharmacological substances that are typically used for mixing with heroin.

How does UNODC estimate opium cultivation and production figures?

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:43:31 GMT

22 June 2009 - Illicit crop cultivation is often linked to insecurity, insurgency and lack of alternative livelihood options. It is important for Governments and the international community to know where opium poppy is cultivated and how much opium and heroin can be produced in order to understand and tackle the issue.

Read how UNODC supports Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Lao People's Democratic Republic in their efforts to estimate the area under opium poppy cultivation in their respective countries each year.

Steep decline in coca cultivation in Colombia, as Peru and Bolivia see increase

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:03:59 GMT

19 June 2009 -While Colombia reported a major decline in coca bush cultivation in 2008 - a decrease of 18 per cent compared to 2007 - Peru and the Plurinational State of Bolivia recorded increases of six per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively. These statistics are reported in the coca bush cultivation surveys of the Andean countries released today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Peru monitoreo de cultivos de coca - junio 2009

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:49:03 GMT

Bolivia monitoreo de cultivos de coca - junio 2009

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:45:50 GMT

Bolivia coca cultivation survey - June 2009

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:15:00 GMT

Launch of World Drug Report 2009 to be webcast live on 24 June

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:06:30 GMT

17 June 2009 - Next week UNODC will launch the 2009 edition of its flagship publication, the World Drug Report. The event will take place in Washington, D.C., at a press conference during which UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa and newly appointed Director of the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, will release the Report. The press conference will take place at 10 a.m. eastern daylight time on 24 June and will be webcast live at www.unodc.org.

Advisory: World Drug Report 2009 to be launched in Washington on 24 June

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:38:27 GMT

The World Drug Report 2009, the flagship publication of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will be launched in the Lisagor Room of the National Press Club in Washington DC on 24 June.

Commission on Narcotic Drugs Political Declaration now available online

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:02:46 GMT

16 June 2009 - At the fifty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, held in Vienna from 11 to 20 March 2009, Heads of States adopted the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem. This was agreed at a high-level segment to review progress made on drug control since the twentieth special session of the General Assembly took place in 1998.

Preventing smuggling of drug producing chemicals into Afghanistan

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:45:16 GMT

1 June 2009 - The rapid increase in opium poppy cultivation observed in Afghanistan since 2001 has gone hand-in-hand with the emergence of the illicit production of heroin in the country. Because of this, on 12 and 13 May 2009, the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia and the Country Office in Afghanistan convened a High-Level Planning Session to launch Operation TARCET II, an anti-trafficking initiative to prevent the smuggling of chemicals into Afghanistan for use in the manufacture of heroin.

World drug campaign website launched

Fri, 22 May 2009 13:50:37 GMT

22 May 2009 - As part of its campaign to raise awareness about the major challenge that illicit drugs represents to society as a whole, especially to the young, UNODC launched today a dedicated website at www.unodc.org/drugs.

The campaign website includes a wealth of information on different types of drugs, from cannabis to methamphetamine, and health tips for parents, teachers and young people.

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The Minister of Interior and Justice of Colombia Fabio Valencia Cossio

Thu, 14 May 2009 13:02:57 GMT

Norha Restrepo of UNODC spoke to the Minister of Interior and Justice of Colombia Fabio Valencia Cossio on the European drug situation during the High Level Segment of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, March 2009. Video in Spanish and English.

Malaysia reports its largest-ever synthetic drugs bust

Wed, 06 May 2009 15:43:11 GMT

6 May 2009 - Malaysia has just confirmed its largest-ever synthetic drugs bust and the biggest such seizure in South-East Asia in recent years. The estimated 960 kg of crystal methamphetamine, which is locally nicknamed "syabu", are worth several hundred million dollars. They were probably destined for markets in the region and also lucrative markets in Europe, North-East Asia and Australasia. Anti-narcotics police also arrested three men.

Comprehensive regional response launched to combat trafficking in West Africa

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:40:59 GMT

23 April 2009 - A lucrative cocaine trade is flooding West Africa, which is fast becoming a key transit hub for hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe. Taking advantage of porous borders and weak State and security institutions, traffickers are operating largely with impunity. The exploding drug trade is breeding widespread corruption and threatening security in the subregion.

Earth Day: how stopping organized crime can help the environment

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:13:44 GMT

22 April 2009 - Earth Day was established to inspire awareness and appreciation for our planet. While most of us are doing what we can to help, there are those who profit from the environment's destruction. Environmental crime is often transnational in nature and involves organized crime activities such as trafficking in natural resources or illegally trading in wildlife.

From coca to palm oil: alternative development in Peru

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:34:57 GMT

20 April 2009 - Until the mid-1990s, Peru was the number one producer of coca in the world. Today, instead of being involved in the illegal cultivation of coca bush, several thousand Peruvian farmers are cultivating crops as diverse as cacao, coffee and trees from which they get oil and heart of palm. This video feature, produced by United Nations television, tells the story of a farmer who has opted to quit growing coca bush with help from a UNODC project.

From coca to palm oil: Alternative development in Peru

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:17:34 GMT

UNTV takes a look at Alternative Development in Peru. Follow farmers as they switch from coca to palm oil.

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UNODC launches ?pro-health? drug campaign on World Health Day

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:04:31 GMT

7 April 2009 - Today, on occasion of World Health Day, UNODC has launched a global campaign against drugs. "Drug control is not just about security, it's about health. Drug dependence is an illness, and should be prevented and treated as such", said UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. The international campaign will run until 26 June 2009, which is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Secretary-General Ban warns that terrorism, drugs and crime are thwarting development in Afghanistan

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:59:56 GMT

30 March 2009 - Terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime are seriously impeding progress in Afghanistan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today, calling for greater international cooperation to help Afghanistan tackle these challenges.

Interview with Wolfgang Goetz, Director, EMCDDA

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:00:00 GMT

UNODC spoke to the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction on the European drug situation during the High Level Segment of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, March 2009.

A portable laboratory in a briefcase

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:52:01 GMT

19 March 2009 - Drug traffickers transit through some of the world's most remote regions. What if border guards catch someone transporting suspicious-looking substances in the mountains of Afghanistan or the vast expanses of Central Asia? They must prove that the consignment contains illicit drugs but the nearest laboratory may be thousands of kilometres away. Without proof, they� usually have to let the suspect go.

Building family skills to prevent drug use

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:09:02 GMT

17 March 2009 - Families have the potential to be the most powerful protective force in the lives of children and youth. Healthy family relationships may even prevent children and adolescents from engaging in drug use, delinquency and risky sexual behaviours. UNODC has developed a Guide to Implementing Family Skills Training Programmes for Drug Abuse Prevention to assist those who are looking to implement effective prevention interventions for young people and families.

Counter-narcotics operation on the border between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:35:57 GMT

16 March 2009 - Counter-narcotics and police forces of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan carried out the first-ever joint operation against drug trafficking networks on 8 March 2009, in the framework of an initiative brokered by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Press Conference High Level Segment - CND

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:24:15 GMT

UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa along with Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora Icaza take questions from the press during the CND High Level Segment in March 2009.

African Union Commission and UNODC launch joint project to combat drugs and crime in Africa

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:30:27 GMT

12 March 2009 - At a side event to the High-Level Segment of the fifty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the African Union Commission (AUC) and UNODC today launched their joint project to support the implementation of the AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2007-12). The project is an operational response to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the organizations in December 2007.

Yaba: Crazy medicine

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:07:42 GMT

Yaba, or 'crazy medicine' in Thai, is a tablet form of methamphetamine, and a very powerful stimulant. Introduced to East Asia during World War II to enhance soldiers' performance, methamphetamine has become increasingly popular in East Asia, particularly among young people. Yaba is now the main form of methamphetamine abused in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia as well as Viet Nam and Myanmar, where it is typically manufactured.

UNODC and WHO launch joint drug dependence treatment programme

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:13:05 GMT

11 March 2009 - UNODC and the World Health Organization (WHO) are launching a Joint Programme on Drug Dependence Treatment and Care today, at a side event to the High-Level Segment of the ongoing UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The programme will lead a global collaborative effort for improving coverage and quality of treatment and care services for drug use disorders in low- and middle-income countries.

Santo Domingo Pact strengthens regional cooperation to fight drugs and crime in the Caribbean

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:50:18 GMT

10 March 2009 - At a recent Ministerial Conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, agreement was reached to strengthen regional cooperation to fight drugs, crime and terrorism in the Caribbean. In their Political Declaration, Ministers from the region, expressing concern about the impact of drug trafficking and organized crime on security and development, pledged to address these threats as a high priority.

UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs to review global drug trends

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:05:48 GMT

10 March 2009 - The 52nd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) will meet in Vienna, Austria, from 11 to 20 March. The CND is the policy-making body at the United Nations dealing with illicit drugs. It is also the governing body for UNODC's work in the drugs field.

How to tackle a disturbing consequence of drug control

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:50:49 GMT

6 March 2009 - The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) takes place from 11 to 20 March. In preparation for the meeting, the Executive Director of UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa, has prepared a paper on Organized Crime as a Threat to Security: Tackling a disturbing consequence of drug control.

On the synthetic drugs trail

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:35:55 GMT

6 March 2009 - UNODC has just launched an innovative online report highlighting developments on the global synthetic drugs scene. The first�Global SMART Update compiles snapshots of drug seizures, laboratories uncovered, usage and new trafficking trends. "This is a quick and easy tool for Governments and law enforcement agencies to follow emerging challenges related to synthetic drugs" said UNODC manager Jeremy Douglas.

World Drug Report 2008 now available in Russian

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:24:29 GMT

World Drug Report 2008 Russian

West Africa under attack from narco-trafficking

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:18:29 GMT

UNODC has been warning for some time that West Africa is at risk of becoming an epicentre for drug trafficking and the crime and corruption associated with it. At least 50 tons of cocaine from the Andean countries are transiting West Africa every year, heading north where they are worth almost $2 billion on the streets of European cities. Most cocaine entering Africa from South America makes landfall around Guinea-Bissau...

Century of drug control commemorated in Shanghai

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:14:25 GMT

27 February 2009 - Centennial celebrations were held in Shanghai this week to mark the 100th anniversary of the International Opium Commission which met in Shanghai, China in February 1909. The Opium Commission meeting was the first international conference to control drugs, and led to the conclusion of the first international convention on drug control, the Hague International Opium Convention of 1912.

100 Years of Drug Control

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:18:48 GMT

This day in history: The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:02:44 GMT

21 February 2009- On February 21st, 1971, thirty-eight years ago last Saturday, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances was signed in Vienna at a conference attended by seventy-one states as well as the World Health Organization, INTERPOL and a number of pharmaceutical company representatives.

This day in history - Commission on Narcotic Drugs established

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:39:42 GMT

16 February 2009 -Sixty-three years ago today, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a main organ of the United Nations, established the�Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) as the central policy-making body of the United Nations on drug issues.

Global opium poppy cultivation is decreasing

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:08:14 GMT

2 February 2009 - Two reports just issued by UNODC show that global opium poppy cultivation is falling. The South East Asia Opium Survey launched today in Bangkok shows that the region, once notorious as heroin's Golden Triangle, has a limited opium problem that is concentrated in just one region of Myanmar. South-East Asia accounts for 424 tons of opium (down from 472 tons a year earlier).

Afghanistan Opium Winter Assessment 2009

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:20:03 GMT

Afghanistan Opium Winter Assessment 2009

Opium poppy cultivation in South-East Asia - Dec 2008

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:17:33 GMT

The 1912 Hague International Opium Convention

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:24:11 GMT

23 January 2009 - On 23 January 1912, the International Opium Convention was signed in the Hague by representatives from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Persia (Iran), Portugal, Russia, Siam (Thailand), the UK and the British oversees territories (including British India). Three years later, it entered into force.

Deadly drug cocktails

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:04:51 GMT

21 January 2009 - Good times at the disco can sometimes mean alcohol- or drug-fuelled binges where ecstasy, methamphetamine and amphetamines are the clubbers' drugs of choice. Today, the use of synthetic drugs significantly exceeds the use of heroin and cocaine combined. But do people know what they are taking?

Drug trafficking in the Golden Triangle

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:06:09 GMT

6 January 2009 - UNODC has just published the second volume of "De Narcoticis"; a series of photojournalism books depicting the lives of real people involved in - or touched by - the trade in illicit drugs.

London

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:16:43 GMT

Good to be back in London. In this wonderful city I had my first real job -- as a chef, believe or not, in a McDonald's-type joint.� Much later, namely when I was about three times older, I spent many years as Secretary-General of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Major drug seizure in Tajikistan

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:14:07 GMT

24 December 2008 - The UNODC-trained and supported Mobile Deployment Team of the Tajik interior ministry recently seized some 560 kilos of drugs. The seizure consisted mainly of hashish, but also almost 30 kilos of heroin. This is the biggest single seizure in Tajikistan's history.

Putting health at the centre of drug control

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:39:51 GMT

16 December 2008 - At the opening of a seminar on drug addiction prevention and treatment today, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa urged countries to "put health back at the centre of drug control."

Tackling the Afghan opium threat

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:43:53 GMT

15 December 2008 - Senior international counter-narcotics officials are meeting in Vienna this week to improve efforts to stem the supply of deadly drugs out of Afghanistan. The meeting is organized by UNODC within the framework of the Paris Pact, an initiative which aims to combat Afghan opiates trafficking, consumption and related problems in affected countries.

Sub-prime crisis or solution?

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:55:46 GMT

Money is tight these days. Creditors have been badly burned, and banks are wary of lending to each other or to risky clients. And yet, in many parts of the world, sub-prime lending is exactly what is needed to foster development and reduce vulnerability to drugs and crime.

Responding to drug use and HIV in Iran

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:49:29 GMT

19 November 2008 - Today, Iran's proximity to Afghanistan, which supplies more than 90 per cent of the world's opiates, means that the country is particularly vulnerable to drug abuse. Iran is also a main trafficking route for heroin destined for European markets.

Ketamine sweeps the rave scene

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:00:09 GMT

10 November 2008 - A drug used to tranquillize horses has taken the world's dance scene by storm. Clubbers are getting cheap thrills with ketamine, also used as a general anaesthetic in developing countries. Now the most abused drug in Hong Kong, ketamine is gaining popularity across southern China. Its use is spreading throughout East Asia as well as Australia, Europe and North America.

Drug trafficking as a security threat in West Africa

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:07:17 GMT

28 October 2008 - According to a new UNODC report, a declining US cocaine market and a rising European one appear to have prompted South American cocaine traffickers to make use of low-governance areas in West Africa as transit zones.

Tr�fico de Droga como uma Amea�a � Seguran�a na �frica Ocidental

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:23:43 GMT

Tr�fico de Droga como uma Amea�a � Seguran�a na �frica Ocidental

Le Trafic de Drogue comme Menace � la S�curit� en Afrique de l�Ouest

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:18:13 GMT

Le Trafic de Drogue comme Menace � la S�curit� en Afrique de l�Ouest�

Drug Trafficking as a Security Threat in West Africa

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:10:00 GMT

Drogas y crimen: Amenaza para las Am�ricas

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:32:31 GMT

Cambodia tackles safrole oil production

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:57:16 GMT

3 October 2008 - Safrole Rich Oil (SRO) is a natural substance that can be used in the production of ecstasy. In Cambodia, where safrole is harvested, weak regulatory and control systems are making it hard to control SRO production and trade.

UN report focuses on spread of HIV through drug injection

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:55:56 GMT

24 September 2008 - Findings published today in The Lancet show that nearly 16 million people are estimated to inject drugs worldwide. Almost 40 per cent of people who inject drugs were estimated to be living in China, the USA and Russia. In some low- and middle-income countries, more than 40 per cent of all injecting drug users are HIV positive.

Synthetic Drugs: The Agony and the Ecstasy

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:24:01 GMT

Last week in Bangkok I launched the latest report from UNODC called Amphetamines and Ecstasy: 2008 Global ATS Assessment . It provides a sharp picture of the situation of synthetic drugs around the world.

It shows that for many people, synthetic drugs have become the tonic for fast and competitive times. Around the world, people are popping pills and powder known as amphetamine-type stimulants (or ATS). In the West, it is usually used as a "party drug" or to enhance performance (also known as cheating), among professional athletes. In the East, it is being taken to stay alert in manual jobs, like on assembly lines or long-haul trucking.

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New markets for synthetic drugs

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:00:57 GMT

9 September 2008 - UNODC's new Global Amphetamine-Type Stimulants Assessment Report warns that synthetic drugs such as ecstasy, amphetamine and methamphetamine - the drugs of modern times - are becoming more popular in developing countries. The report documents a spread of these drugs to new markets, and notes an increased involvement of organized criminal groups in the trade. (See CNN video).

Opium cultivation in Afghanistan down by a fifth

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:00:44 GMT

26 August 2008 - Released today, UNODC's Afghanistan Opium Survey 2008 shows a 19 per cent�decrease in opium cultivation to 157,000 hectares, compared to the record harvest of 193,000 in 2007. Owing to a higher yield of 48.8 kg/ha (up from 42.5 kg/ha in 2007), opium production has dropped less dramatically, down 6 per cent�from 8,200 to 7,700.

Record heroin seizure in the UAE

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:00:00 GMT

19 August 2008 - Police in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week seized 202 kilograms of heroin and arrested 19 suspects in what is the biggest-ever heroin seizure in the Arab world. The police said the high-purity heroin, worth around US$11 million, was intercepted in the Emirate of Sharjah, where the suspects ran a fruit and vegetable business as a cover.

Former drug user now top athlete in Iran

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:21:38 GMT

25 July 2008 - Five years ago, Abbas Amir-Mafi was one of Iran's hundreds of thousands of drug users; hooked on opium at 12, kicked out of home and feeding his habit with odd jobs. Thanks to treatment, he is now a member of the national archery team, trains 6-7 hours per day and is drug free. Drug dependence treatment programmes work.

Targeting precursor chemicals in Afghanistan and beyond

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:30:29 GMT

16 July 2008 - More than 3 tons of precursor chemicals used to produce heroin were recently seized in Afghanistan within the framework of the UNODC-supported 'Operation Tarcet'. The regional Operation targets the smuggling of precursor chemicals into the country which currently supplies more than 90 per cent of the world's heroin.

Playing against drugs in Brazil?s mini-Euro Cup

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:33:13 GMT

9 July 2008 - The Swiss and Austrian Embassies together with UNODC recently hosted a mini-Euro Cup in Brasilia to promote sports as a means to deter drug abuse. Held on the official opening day of the 2008 Euro Cup football tournament - 7 June - the one-day contest specifically targeted disadvantaged children.

Solidarity against Drugs : Remarks to the ?Beyond 2008? NGO Forum

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:16:00 GMT

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World Drug Day 2008

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:25:32 GMT

4 July 2008 - On 26 June, UNODC offices around the world held different events to celebrate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. On the same day, UNODC also launched its 2008 World Drug Report. Below a selection of some of the events that took place around the world.

Civil society contributes to the UN drug policy review

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:57:55 GMT

4 July 2008 - From 7-9 July, more than 300 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from across the world will participate in "Beyond 2008", a global NGO forum on the 1998-2008 Review of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on illicit drugs. The forum will allow civil society to have a say on future drug policy.

UNODC launches 2008 World Drug Report

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:11:48 GMT

26 June 2008 - The World Drug Report 2008, the UNODC flagship publication, was launched in New York today by Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. The report shows that the recent stabilization in the world drugs market is under threat because a surge in opium and coca cultivation and the risk of higher drug use in developing countries threaten to undermine recent progress in drug control.�

2008 World Drug Report

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:02:00 GMT

The World Drug Report presents comprehensive information on the illicit drug situation. It provides detailed estimates and trends on production, trafficking and consumption in the opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants markets. The drug problem is being contained but there are warning signs that the stabilisation which has occurred over the last few years could be in danger. Notable amongst these is the increase in both opium poppy and coca cultivation in 2007, some growth in consumption in developing countries and some development of new trafficking patterns. There have also been encouraging contractions in some of the main consumer markets. This year, almost one hundred years since the Shanghai Opium Commission in 1909, the Report presents an historical review of the development of the international drug control system.

World Drug Report 2008 video news release

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 GMT

The World Drug Report 2008 shows that the recent stabilization in the world drugs market is under threat. A surge in opium and coca cultivation and the risk of higher drug use in developing countries threaten to undermine recent progress in drug control. This video news release illustrates the main findings of the report.

Duration: 4:33

Audio: World Drug Report 2008

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:56:48 GMT

Listen to the findings of the World Drug Report 2008:

1. UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa explains to Preeta Bannerjee why the world drug containment is under threat (Duration: 4:41 -� Download)

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Closer to home ? drug use in six Latin American countries in focus

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:08:43 GMT

26 June 2008 - Argentina, Chile and Uruguay are the countries with the greatest use of illicit drugs, Bolivia appears to be in an intermediate situation, and Peru and Ecuador have detected lower consumption of these drugs. However, in the case of Peru, approximately one out of two cocaine consumers present signs of dependency, the first Comparative Study on Drug Consumption in the general population between the ages of 15 and 64 indicates.

A study tour of Amsterdam

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:05:50 GMT

According to economic science, the greater the availability of a commodity on the market, the more likely its consumption (via the price effect, but also thanks to psychological factors).�Does this only apply to normal markets?�My Office has examined whether there is a statistical relationship between availability of drugs and their use, and reached the same conclusion.

Not everybody accepts the argument.

Inevitably in public meetings I have been asked:� how do you explain the fact that cannabis consumption is not higher in the Netherlands than in neighboring countries, although in the Netherlands cannabis is available in coffee shops? The issue has even evolved into a mini-cause celebre in some corners of the NGO and YouTube crowd .

Since UNODC is interested in examining evidence to support policy (we have done so in Australia, Japan and Sweden), I decided to go to Amsterdam to study its experience.

Drugs and crime in Central America and the Caribbean

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:18:08 GMT

19 June 2008 - Caught in the crossfire between the world's biggest suppliers and consumers of cocaine, countries in Central America and the Caribbean are suffering the consequences of the international drug trade. Crime is stifling their economies, and where violent crime and corruption flourish, socio-economic development lags and democracy is undermined.

Coca cultivation in the Andean region - June 2008

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:57:34 GMT

"Tik": Crystal meth in Cape Town

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:07:23 GMT

13 June 2008 - In Cape Town, South Africa, crystal methamphetamine use has exploded very quickly. Known locally as "tik," the drug was virtually unknown as late as 2003. Now, it is the city's main drug of abuse, even when alcohol is included. Tik is usually smoked, using a straw in a light bulb. Grant Jardine, Director of the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre, explains the increase in tik use and what impact this drug has on users.

Afghanistan: staff with brains and guts

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:01:46 GMT

UNODC's crop surveys on coca, opium and cannabis are considered the gold standard for reliable data on the cultivation of illicit drugs. The same goes for our reports on monitoring verification of drug eradication.

It is sometimes forgotten that there are people behind these numbers - real heroes who are out in the field (on foot, camel, horse, motorcycle, and all terrain vehicle) talking to farmers, and measuring first hand how much coca or poppy is being grown.

From Morocco to Burma, from Afghanistan to Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia we have hundreds of specialists reporting, through UNODC, how the drug situation in evolving on the supply side.

Monitoring illicit crop production

Tue, 27 May 2008 13:46:42 GMT

27 May 2008 - Monitoring the cultivation and yield of illicit crops - or crop monitoring - is a critical aspect of UNODC's work. Estimating global illicit drug production and identifying trends help countries design appropriate drug control policies and alternative livelihood strategies.

Regional Information Centre supports counter-narcotic efforts

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:51:49 GMT

22 May 2008 - Over the last decade, criminal organizations have increasingly smuggled Afghan heroin through Central Asia. To counter the illicit drug trafficking, UNODC recently launched the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC). Lieutenant General Beksultan Sarsekov, Director of the Centre, spoke to Galina Fomaidi from UNODC's Regional Office in Central Asia about the initiative.

Yaba, the 'crazy medicine' of East Asia

Mon, 19 May 2008 14:29:50 GMT

19 May 2008 - Yaba, or 'crazy medicine' in Thai, is a tablet form of methamphetamine, and a very powerful stimulant. Introduced to East Asia during World War II to enhance soldiers' performance, methamphetamine has become increasingly popular in East Asia, particularly among young people. Yaba is now the main form of methamphetamine abused in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia as well as Viet Nam and Myanmar, where it is typically manufactured.

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Mon, 19 May 2008 11:59:11 GMT

Preventing drug abuse in the Middle East

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:16:44 GMT

14 May 2008 - UNODC's Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa has just concluded a regional awareness campaign on drug abuse, with a particular focus on youth. The campaign, HEMAYA, was organized in collaboration with the Dubai Police, the Right Start International Foundation, and several prominent leaders and intellectuals in the fields of media, sports, and culture.

Indian students say "I Decide"

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:07:00 GMT

8 May 2008 - UNODC and the Delhi Public School Society are working together to improve the drug awareness education in some 200 Indian schools. By integrating drug awareness into school curricula and extra-curricular activities, the programme seeks to empower youth by promoting one message: "I decide - I will not take drugs."

Ecotourism provides Colombians with a livelihood

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:50:24 GMT

5 May 2008 - From the window of the approaching aircraft you can make out the blue seawater, the white beaches, the cliffs and the luxuriant forest of el Choc�, inviting visitors to come and relax. Not far off, Capurgan� shows up as a small settlement by the seashore where there are neither cars nor motorcycles; the only means of transport on land are horse?drawn carts.

Illicit Drug Trends of Afghan opiates

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:24:51 GMT

30 April 2008 - Afghanistan is virtually the world's sole producer of opium, yielding at least 93 per cent of the global annual output. This poses a serious health and security threat to the world, particularly Afghanistan and its neighbours. To better understand the nature, extent and impact of this threat, UNODC has launched a series of Illicit Drug Trend reports.

Why should we care about cannabis?

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:12:14 GMT

25 April 2008 - Approximately 4 per cent of the world's adults - some 162 million people - use cannabis at least once in the course of a year, making it the world's most widely used illicit drug. In some countries, more than half of all young people have tried it. In spite of this high rate of usage, many basic facts about cannabis remain obscure.

Less Crime for More Development

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:51:19 GMT

Being called the Office on "drugs and crime" is pretty sinister. It says what we are against, not what we are for. We are known as being the centre of the UN's fight against "uncivil society", and for battling the "dark side of globalization". But I would prefer to tell people what we are in favour of, namely security and justice for all.

Sports help prevent drug abuse

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:59:34 GMT

2 April 2008 - More than 2,000 young people, aged 15-29, recently gathered at a youth conference in Brazil's capital, Brasilia. For the first time in this region, youngsters discussed youth-related issues and proposed policies. Drugs and violence were among the participants� top priorities. UNODC Brazil partnered with the Global Sport Fund to promote drug abuse prevention and to gather ideas for future youth-related regional and national policies.

UNODC and UNIDO extend Laos alternative income programme

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:55:27 GMT

31 March 2008 - UNODC recently committed to extending a joint project with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to provide alternative income opportunities for opium poppy growing communities in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Young Japanese leaders visit Vienna

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:42:21 GMT

28 March 2008 - Six Japanese students active in their communities in raising awareness and funds to prevent drug abuse presented the results of a nationwide anti-drugs campaign at UNODC headquarters in Vienna yesterday.

Health: The First Principle of Drug Policy

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:25:12 GMT

It is often forgotten that health is the first principle of drug policy. Improving security (against drug traffickers and dealers) and promoting development (to enable farmers to find sustainable alternatives to growing illicit crops) are necessary, but not sufficient, measures. Because even if you eliminate the world's entire supply of cannabis, coca, and opium, and even if you could seize all drugs in circulation, you would still have 25 million drug users looking for ways to satisfy their addiction. So the key to drug policy is reducing demand for drugs and treating addiction - and that is very much a health care issue.

?Nothing Less?: Improving drug dependence treatment

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:17:42 GMT

18 March 2008 - A new, joint UNODC-World Health Organization (WHO) discussion paper, "Principles of Drug Dependence Treatment," highlights nine key principles for effective treatment of drug dependence. Developed through scientific consultations, the paper aims to raise awareness about the nature of drug dependence as a health disorder.

UNODC/WHO principles of drug dependence treatment

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:06:37 GMT

Brazil?s first magazine on drug dependence

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:49:26 GMT

17 March 2008 - A publication aimed at helping family members and friends of individuals who struggle with dependence, "Anonymous", was launched this week in Brazil with UNODC support. "Everybody knows someone in their family - or has a friend - who struggles with this problem," says magazine coordinator Romina Cerchiaro. "Our target are the people - their lives and social bonds".

Commission on Narcotic Drugs considers future of drug control

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:30:22 GMT

14 March 2008 - The 51st session of the annual Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) wrapped up today. Reviewing ten years of progress since the United Nations General Assembly committed itself to "achieving significant and measurable results in the field of demand reduction",�the Commission noted progress in some key areas but found that much still needs to be done.

51st session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:04:40 GMT

Rebels without a clue

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:00:00 GMT

Within Europe in recent years, a few influential pop stars and other fashion-conscious celebrities have been at the forefront of efforts to improve living standards in Africa.�Bob Geldof's renowned Live Aid concerts and Bono's Drop the Debt campaign have been vital in raising political awareness and money to tackle the continent's economic crisis. Stopping the trade in blood diamonds and promoting fair trade with Africa have been two other favoured causes of the celebrity elite.

Reaching out to youth to prevent drug abuse

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:51:10 GMT

27 February 2008 - "He dreamed of becoming a doctor." "We loved each other, dreamed about getting married and having children." "I was the best sister in the world for him, he promised to take me to Paris."

But he didn't become a doctor, didn't marry, and didn't take his sister to Paris. He died of drug abuse at the age of 18.

Teachers support students under pressure

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:22:30 GMT

20 February 2008 - Rosanna Yactayo Castro has been teaching for almost 20 years. She works in a secondary school in Lima's port area, Callao. Her district is one of the areas recently identified as a high-risk zone for drug abuse among young people. Yactayo was one of more than 400 teachers across Peru who received training through a UNODC-supported initiative to get students talking about healthy lifestyles and conflict-resolution.

UNODC anticipates another large opium crop in Afghanistan in 2008

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:51:31 GMT

6 February 2008 - The opium poppy seedlings are still under the ground or snow in most parts of Afghanistan, but the UNODC Opium Winter Rapid Assessment Survey, released today, broadly anticipates what can be expected when they bloom this spring.

Afghan Winter Rapid Assessment Opium Survey 2008

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:46:36 GMT

Reducing the harm of drugs

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:20:10 GMT

22 January - Some have perceived a contradiction between drug prevention and treatment on the one hand and efforts to reduce the negative health and social consequences of drug use on the other. However, in a new discussion paper, UNODC says that these are in fact complementary rather than contradictory.

Reducing the adverse health and social consequences of drug abuse: A comprehensive approach

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:19:19 GMT

Winds of Change in Turkmenistan

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:00:00 GMT

I have just returned from the gas-rich Central Asian country of Turkmenistan.

Under its new President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow, this once secretive country is opening up to the world.

Since it is located along one of the biggest opium trafficking routes from Afghanistan to the West, Turkmenistan has been feeling the effects of drugs and crime along its borders.

Into The Lion's Den

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:00:00 GMT

On 7 December I made a speech to a rather unusual audience - the Drug Policy Alliance, most of whom are in favour of legalizing drugs. It was a rather raucous affair with a few boos but more applause than expected.

Assisting Guinea-Bissau

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:28:58 GMT

19 December - This address was made by Mr. Costa today in Lisbon at a pledging conference for Guinea-Buissau. It draws heavily on a statement that he made at the UN Security Council on 12 December.

"Guinea-Bissau, long neglected by the international community, is starting to get some attention. One week ago, the situation in Guinea-Bissau was discussed in the Security Council. There was strong support for Prime Minister Cabi's request that Guinea-Bissau be placed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission."

Assisting Guinea-Bissau

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:00:02 GMT

?Rainbow Strategy? for Afghanistan

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:54:39 GMT

18 December - Countries affected by Afghanistan's opium cultivation have been urged to throw their support behind a range of programmes designed to reduce the supply, trafficking, and consumption of the world's deadliest drug.

The reality in which farmers live

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:01:53 GMT

12 December - Cristina Albertin, UNODC Representative in Bolivia, already knew the country well before she took up her post in early 2007. Ms. Albertin, a German agronomist, had lived in La Paz between 1991 and 1994. In this interview, Ms. Albertin reflects upon the situation of farmers in Bolivia and the opportunities for development that are within their reach.

Europe's Cocaine, Africa's Problem

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:00:00 GMT

Speaking at the Security Council on 12 December, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said that "Guinea-Bissau has lost control of its territory and can not administer justice". The police and justice system are completely overwhelmed and ill-equipped to deal with the threat posed by foreign criminal groups colluding with powerful local allies. [Full Text of the Press Release]

Le Trafic de Coca�ne en Afrique de l'Ouest: Une menace pour la stabilit� et le d�veloppement (avec r�f�rence sp�ciale � la Guin�e-Bissau)

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:56:05 GMT

Cocaine Trafficking in West Africa: The threat to stability and development (with special reference to Guinea-Bissau)

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:55:35 GMT

The Reality in Which Farmers Live

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:51:46 GMT

Free drugs or drug free?

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:16:39 GMT

7 December - Should drugs be legalized? Some people think so, like a recent article written by Ethan Nadelmann in Foreign Policy magazine. The Executive Director of UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa, put forward his views on the topic to a meeting in New Orleans hosted by the Drug Policy Alliance.

Curbing the cocaine flow

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:12:42 GMT

5 December - The joint UNODC-World Customs Organization container control programme has seen numerous successes in its short history. Recently, almost two tons of cocaine was seized in the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador - the biggest in a series of seizures this year.

Fidela, Felix and the chocolate factory

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:21:30 GMT

Fidela, Felix and the chocolate factory

27 November - Rural entrepreneurs in Peru's Apurimac River Valley who used to cultivate coca are now growing cocoa beans for Swiss chocolate maker Pronatec. The cocoa bean harvests of Fidela del Villar Baca and Felix Martinez Escribas were among the approximately 300 tons of cocoa beans sold in 2006. Since 2002, the company has been purchasing organically certified Peruvian cocoa from the Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera del Valle Rio Apurimac (CACVRA).

West Africa Urged to Reduce Vulnerability of Children to Trafficking

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:46:47 GMT

At an international meeting on trafficking in children and armed conflict taking place from 26-28 November in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa, urged governments of West and Central Africa to reduce the vulnerability of children to human trafficking.

Dismantling meth labs in Cambodia

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:00:00 GMT

23 November - Recently, the Cambodian National Authority for Combating Drugs dismantled a clandestine laboratory in Kampong Speu Province(some 80 km south-west of Phnom Penh), the first such discovery made in Cambodia. The laboratory was in the first stages of the manufacture of methamphetamine, or crystal meth. During the raid, the Anti-Drug Department, in collaboration with the Police Commission in Kampong Speu, confiscated approximately 5.8 tons of the precursor chemicals.

"Drug consumption rooms" in Italy

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:00:00 GMT

22 November - In a letter to the Mayor of Turin, Sergio Chiamparino, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa expresses concern about the opening of "drug consumption rooms" and the prescription of heroin to drug users.

Costa stressed the need for proper treatment for patients addicted to heroin and invited Italy and Turin to invest more in accessible, integrated, high-quality, specialized treatments as a way of improving health and security.

Drug trafficking and the financing of terrorism

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:00:28 GMT

21 November - Although the link between terrorism and other related crimes, such as drug trafficking, is evident and has been recognized by the United Nations Security Council, a thorough understanding is needed in order to develop solid strategies to prevent and disrupt these crimes.

Afghan opium report

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:36:41 GMT

16 November - In its final Afghan Opium Survey for 2007 issued today, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that opium is now equivalent to more than half (53%) of the country's licit GDP. Speaking at a conference in Brussels on the future of Afghanistan, hosted by Princeton University, the Executive Director of UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa, announced that the total export value of opiates produced in and trafficked from Afghanistan in 2007 is about $4 billion.

Europe's cocaine curse

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:36:06 GMT

15 November - In a speech presented to a Conference on Cocaine taking place in Madrid today, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Antonio Maria Costa, urged Europe's cocaine users to take greater responsibility for the consequences of their addiction. Mr. Costa attributed high levels of cocaine use in Europe to the drug's image. Compared to heroin, "cocaine is white not dark; sniffed not injected; consumed in trendy discos not in cities' gutters..."

Paris Pact: stopping the flow of opium from Afghanistan

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:53:34 GMT

31 October 2007 - Senior international counter-narcotics officials recently met in Kabul to improve efforts to stem the supply of deadly drugs out of Afghanistan. The meeting was organized by UNODC and held in the framework of the Paris Pact; an initiative launched in 2003 to promote coordinated measures to counter narco-trafficking in and from Afghanistan.

Worrisome rise in Myanmar opium cultivation

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:11:41 GMT

10 October 2007 - The Golden Triangle - comprising Laos, Myanmar and Thailand - is no longer a major supplier of opium. A concerted eradication drive over the past decades has slashed opium cultivation in this once notorious region to the point that South East Asia now produces only 5 per cent of the world's deadliest drug - the rest comes from Afghanistan.

Drug Trafficking in West Africa

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:50:42 GMT

UNODC's Brian Taylor, Chief Anti-Trafficking Section, discusses drug trafficking in West Africa with Louise Potterton after attending the 17th Meeting of the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Duration: 7:02

Afghanistan Opium Poppy Survey 2007

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:35:00 GMT

In the yearly Afghanistan opium survey, UNODC finds that opium production in Afghanistan has increased, although more provinces are now drug-free.

English: Anja Korenblick, UNODC Research Officer
Duration: 7:52

French: Bernard Frahi, Chief, Partnership in Development Branch
Duration: 7:48

Radio series: Drugs? Ask the experts

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:46:58 GMT

Have you ever wondered why cannabis is more dangerous for you than cigarettes? Whether you can become addicted to ecstasy or overdose on cocaine? Or what makes heroin such a dangerous drug? These questions and more are answered in the series Drugs? Ask the experts. UNODC has teamed up with a group of international teenagers to put their questions to the experts. In this series of interviews we put cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin under the spotlight. And talk frankly about the production, trafficking, and damaging effects of these illegal drugs.

Afghanistan opium survey - Oct 2007

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:58:00 GMT

Opium poppy cultivation in South-East Asia - Oct 2007

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:00:00 GMT

Laboratory science: More than just drug control

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:00:00 GMT

For more than 50 years, laboratory expertise has played a critical role in United Nations drug control efforts. The role of laboratories in modern society, however, is much broader than drug control. Although they impact on areas such as law enforcement, criminal justice and health care, their contribution is seldom recognized.

Christina Oguz: "To work in Afghanistan, you need to be an optimist."

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:00:00 GMT

UNODC Representative in Afghanistan Christina Oguz talks about drugs and crime and life in a country devastated by opium, poverty and war.

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Afghanistan Opium Survey 2007 - Executive Summary

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:00:00 GMT

2007 World Drug Report

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:00:00 GMT

2007 World Drug Report Executive Summary

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:00:00 GMT

Coca cultivation in the Andean region - June 2007

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:00:00 GMT

UNODC chief welcomes major cocaine seizure in Guinea-Bissau, urges full backing for police

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 22:00:00 GMT

UNODC - Crop Monitoring

Your NO counts - 60 seconds

Neverending Party

three countries unite to fight common problem

27 May 2009 - Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan are uniting to fight the threat of drugs in the region.

Afghanistan accounts for 93% of global opium cultivation. Around two-thirds of the drugs (opium, morphine and heroin) are smuggled out through Iran and Pakistan, and the rest through Central Asian countries. The drugs are partly consumed in these countries and partly transported to more profitable markets in the West.