United Nations obligations on illicit drugs

The International Narcotics Control Board of the United Nations has released its latest annual report.

All Commonwealth, state and territory governments are bound by the various UN conventions that have been signed by Australia and have obligations for comprehensive demand reduction programs for illicit drugs.

The Board reminded signatories that they should actively persue transnational drug traffickers and also local drug dealers and the drug related violence.

Injecting rooms like the one at Kings Cross in Sydney once more was criticised by the Board as violating the UN conventions, as injecting rooms attract drug dealers who often linger near such centres to sell illicit drugs according to the Board.

The Board drew attention to the increasing trafficking over the internet of medication containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.

Young people should have special policies aimed at them to reduce demand and drug related violence.

The Board believes harm reduction cannot be an end in itself or the overall guiding principle behind national drug demand reduction policy.

(Access to all the Board's annual reports can be obtained at www.incb.org)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

We support the International Narcotics Control Board for its criticism of injecting rooms and its effect of legalising illicit drugs.

Australia is a high illicit drug-using nation and governments have obligations to reduce demand and not establish increased markets for illicit drug use.

We support the Board's policy of referring drug dependent persons for treatment through the justice system as an alternative to incarceration.

We support drug policies aimed at youth as outlined in our policy (see web page).

We support more detoxification & rehabilitation that get illicit users drug free.

We support more truthful information about the harm of all illicit drugs.

Drug policy objectives must produce less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.

THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-

More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.

9/2004