UNITED | E |
Economic and Social Council | |
Distr. 1193rd Meeting | |
CND Res.43/3. | Enhancing assistance to drug abusers* |
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Recognizing that millions of people worldwide are abusers of, or are addicted to, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, Aware of the damage that drug abuse and addiction cause to the physical, mental and social health of individuals, in particular the young, Noting with concern the spread of drug abuse and addiction in society, because of its effects on public and social health and economic resources, Bearing in mind the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 54/132 of 17 December 1999, Recognizing that effective action against drug abuse and addiction must be based on a comprehensive, balanced and coordinated approach by which reduction of supply and of demand reinforce each other, Aware of the need to reduce the negative health and social consequences of substance abuse as an indispensable element of demand reduction, Also aware of the fact that drug abuse and addiction are serious problems, that many drug abusers do not make use of existing assistance and treatment, and that many times available services do not fully meet their needs, Aware that under article 4 (c) of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961,14 States parties have an obligation to limit exclusively to medical and scientific purposes, inter alia, the distribution, use and possession of drugs, Recalling that article 38, paragraph 1, of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol,15 provides that States parties should give special attention to and take all practicable measures for the prevention of abuse of drugs and for the early identification, treatment, education, aftercare, rehabilitation and social reintegration of the persons involved and should coordinate their efforts to those ends, 1. Urges Member States to develop services for early detection, counselling, treatment, relapse prevention, aftercare and social reintegration and to ensure that such services are widely available and have sufficient capacity for those in need; 2. Requests Member States to find strategies and increase access to and availability of services designed to reach drug abusers who are not integrated into or reached by existing services and programmes and are at high risk of severe health damage, drug-related infectious diseases and even fatal incidents, in order to assist such drug abusers in reducing individual and public health risks; 3. Invites Member States to exchange with other Member States and with relevant national and international bodies information on their strategies, programmes and services as described in paragraphs 1 and 2 above. In this matter, the importance of the development and subsequent practical use of evaluation methodologies is stressed; 4. Calls for the provision of voluntary contributions for the implementation of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 54/132 of 17 December 1999; 5. Requests the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to take into account the information submitted by Governments on the efforts described in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above when preparing, for submission to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its forty-fourth session, the biennial report on the follow-up to the twentieth special session of the General Assembly. 1193rd meeting */ For the discussion, see chap. II, para. 70. 14/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 520, No. 7515. 15/ Ibid., vol. 976, No. 14152. |