Successes in struggle against illegal circulation of drugs - under threat - UN

Almaty. June 30. Kazakhstan Today - Successes reached in struggle against illegal circulation of drugs are under threat due to sharp increase of cultivation of opium poppy and coca and increase of narcotic addiction in developing countries. Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Drug and Crime Antonio Maria Kosta said on Friday in New York presenting the report on drugs, the agency reports referring to the UN News Center.

The report is dated for the International Day of Struggle against Drug Abuse.

The UN Executive Director considers that positive results in the field of control over drugs have been reached over the recent years. He drew attention to the fact that as a result of consumption of tobacco products 5 million people die every year, from alcohol - nearly 2.5 million, and from forbidden drugs - about 200 thousand.

The authors of the report draw attention that today about 5 % of all adult population consume drugs. "Less than one person out of 20 at the age of 15-64 used drugs this year. Problem addicts - people who have serious narcotic dependence - make less than one tenth percent of this parameter - 26 million people, or about 0.6 % of adult population of the planet," the report states.

"Control over drugs has brought its important results: heroin, cocaine and synthetic drugs, having the most fatal consequences for consumers of these substances, do not have such grave consequences for public health as tobacco and alcohol," A. M. Kosta informed.

The UN representative is concerned about the fact that essential growth of supply of drugs from Afghanistan can lead to growth of narcotism, especially in developing states.

The report on drugs contains disturbing data on increase of supply of drugs over the last year. Last year record harvest of opium was collected in Afghanistan. As a result, world volume of illegal manufacture of opium almost doubled in comparison with 2005. 80 % of all crops of opium poppy was grown in five southern provinces, enriching members of Taliban movement.

The similar situation has been in Colombia where last year scales of cultivation of coca have grown by a quarter, but remained approximately by 40 % below the record level registered in 2000. There manufacture of cocaine is concentrated mainly in ten municipalities.

"In Colombia, as well as in Afghanistan, areas where coca is grown are under control of insurgents," M. Kosta said.

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