UNITED |
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Economic and Social Council | |
Distr. 1234th Meeting | |
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CND Res.46/1. | Renewing emphasis on demand reduction prevention and treatment efforts in compliance with the international drug control treaties |
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Recalling the Political Declaration adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth special session, devoted to countering the world drug problem together,[1] Recalling also that, at the time of the adoption of the Political Declaration, drug abuse affected the freedom and development of young people, the worlds most valuable asset,[2] and concerned that illicit use of drugs continues to affect their freedom and development, Acknowledging the impact that the illicit supply of drugs has on use levels and its associated negative health and social consequences, Emphasizing the primary importance of guaranteeing the integrity of the international drug control treaties, Recalling that, in paragraph 17 of the Political Declaration adopted by the General Assembly at its twentieth special session, Member States recognized that demand reduction was an indispensable pillar in the global approach to countering the world drug problem, Reinforcing the commitment made by Member States at the twentieth special session of the General Assembly to adopt measures as provided for in article 14, paragraph 4, of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988,[3] which states that parties should adopt appropriate measures aimed at eliminating or reducing illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, Concerned that lenient polices not in accordance with the international drug control treaties might hamper the efforts of the international community to address the world drug problem, Emphasizing that failure to resist illicit consumption of drugs undermines efforts to counter the global drug problem, Re-emphasizing the importance of effective drug control legislation and national demand reduction policies to reducing drug trafficking and illicit use of drugs, together with its associated consequences, in accordance with the international drug control regime, Reaffirming that illicit use of drugs is a behaviour that can be prevented and that drug dependence, in the context of addiction, can be treated successfully, Emphasizing again the importance of a consistent and realistic message, which is evidence-based and appropriately prepared for youth and adults, about the dangers posed by illicit consumption of drugs to their health, psychosocial development, educational development and careers, Emphasizing the fact that successful prevention programmes can reduce illicit drug use and dependence and that examples of such programmes exist in many countries, Recalling that the Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, in his second biennial report on the outcome of the twentieth special session of the General Assembly, devoted to countering the world drug problem together, stated that demand reduction efforts needed to be stepped up over the next five years to achieve significant and measurable results,[4] 1. Affirms its determination to protect citizens, especially children, from the serious risks of illicit use of drugs; 2. Urges States parties to the international drug control treaties to take all measures to safeguard the integrity of the treaties, in particular to ensure the full implementation of those provisions which oblige States parties to limit the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances exclusively to medical and scientific purposes; 3. Calls upon States to ensure that national laws, particularly those regarding possession and use of drugs, are in conformity with the international drug control treaties and are actively implemented; 4. Calls upon all States: (a) To continually develop and refine knowledge of current illicit use of drugs and drug dependence; (b) To make every effort to use available evidence-based interventions to develop effective prevention programmes and reduce the incidence of drug use; (c) To develop and implement intervention programmes targeting non-dependent drug users; (d) To improve the efficacy of treatment and rehabilitation programmes for drug-dependent users by implementing programmes that have demonstrated their effectiveness; (e) To extend treatment and rehabilitation programmes so as to reduce the negative health and social consequences related to illicit drugs, for both the individual and the community; (f) To ensure that treatment and rehabilitation programmes are evidence-based, efficacious and applied with adequate assessment, effective case management and adequate follow-up support; (g) To improve treatment and rehabilitation programmes in community-based services, for voluntary outpatients, with outreach tools in which the effectiveness evaluation is based not only on abstinence but also on the way to deal with the problem and other strategies; 5. Urges States to demonstrate commitment by allocating sufficient resources to demand reduction to fulfil their commitment and to implement strategies that they have adopted at the national and international levels; 6. Also urges States to ensure that all programmes for the reduction of illicit drug demand are based on evidence-based standards of research that have been identified as effective, with demonstrated outcomes; specifically, that emerging treatment and rehabilitation programmes have appropriate treatment and rehabilitation goals aimed at recovery from dependence or addiction and leading to reintegration into community life; 7. Urges all States to develop a framework for assessing and reporting on the achievements of their national strategies for demand reduction, in line with the emphasis placed in the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction[5] on assessment and the adoption of an evidence-based approach,[6] resulting in programmes that discourage illicit use of drugs and demonstrate effectiveness in reducing consumption and recovery from dependency or addiction; 8. Encourages States to share best practices that demonstrate, using outcome data, programmes discouraging illicit use of drugs, which result in reduced illicit drug consumption or in recovery from dependence or addiction; 9. Requests the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to ensure that the demand reduction programmes that it promotes have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing illicit use of drugs and facilitating the goals of recovery from dependence or addiction. |