International campaign against traffic in drugs : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

 

International campaign against traffic in drugs

  The General Assembly, Conscious of the common concern that exists among peoples of the world regarding the devastating effects of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, which jeopardize the stability of democratic institutions and the well-being of mankind and which therefore constitute a grave threat to the security and an obstacle to the development of many countries, Taking into consideration that the problem of illicit drug traffic negatively affects all producer, consumer and transit countries, and that there is an urgent need to take joint measures to combat it, including all aspects relating to illicit supply of, demand for and traffic in drugs, Recalling its resolutions 39/142 of 14 December 1984 and 40/121 of 13 December 1985 and other relevant resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council and of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs adopted to advance the international campaign against traffic in and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, Considering that, despite the efforts made, the situation continues to deteriorate, owing, inter alia, to the growing interrelationship between drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations that are responsible for much of the drug traffic and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and for the increase in violence, corruption and injury to society, Acknowledging once more that the eradication of this scourge calls for acknowledgement of shared responsibility in combating simultaneously the problems of illicit demand, production, distribution and marketing, and that action designed to eliminate illicit drug cultivation, trafficking and consumption should be accompanied, where appropriate, by economic and social development programmes, Recognizing that transit routes used by international drug traffickers are constantly shifting, and that an increasing number of countries in all regions of the world, and even entire areas because of their strategic geographical location and other considerations, are particularly vulnerable to the illicit transit traffic, Considering that co-operative regional and international action is required to reduce the vulnerability of States and regions to the illicit transit traffic and to provide necessary support and assistance, particularly to countries hitherto unaffected, Commending the work of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the International Narcotics Control Board and the Division of Narcotic Drugs of the Secretariat, as well as the positive action of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control in allocating funds to integrated rural development programmes, including substitution of illegal crops in the most severely affected areas, Taking note of the recommendations adopted at the first Interregional Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, held at Vienna from 28 July to 1 August 1986, which was convened pursuant to resolution 39/143 of 14 December 1984 to examine in depth the most important aspects of the problem, including proposals that might be considered in the preparation of a draft convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, Recognizing the importance of adherence to existing international legal instruments, including the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, the urgent need to encourage Member States that have not yet done so to ratify these instruments and the need for States that have already ratified them to implement fully their obligations under these instruments, Taking note with appreciation of the efforts undertaken to date to implement its resolution 40/122 of 13 December 1985 on the convening in 1987 of an International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, at the ministerial level,

1. Condemns unequivocally drug trafficking in all its illicit forms -production, processing, marketing and consumption - as a criminal activity and requests all States to pledge their political will in a concerted and universal struggle to achieve its complete and final elimination;

2. Urges States to acknowledge that they share responsibility for combating the problem of illicit consumption, production and transit and therefore to encourage mutual collaboration in the struggle against drug trafficking, in accordance with the relevant international and national norms;

3. Calls upon all States to adopt appropriate preventive and/or punitive measures of a political, legal, economic and cultural nature so as to bring about social awareness of the pernicious effects of illicit drug use, and individual and collective rejection of all kinds of practices that facilitate such illegal use;

4. Invites States to use all possible means to discourage practices and domestic and foreign interests that promote the increased illicit production and consumption of drugs;

5. Urges the Governments of countries facing problems of drug abuse, particularly those most seriously affected, as part of their national strategy, to give priority to funding programmes that aim to create in society a deep respect for its own health, fitness and well-being and, taking into account cultural and social factors, to provide appropriate information and advice for all sectors of their communities with regard to drug abuse, its harmful effects and the ways in which appropriate community action can be promoted;

6. Recommends that concerted efforts be made to promote co-operation and co-ordination among States, particularly in the areas of communications and training, with a view to alleviating the problems associated with illicit transit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

7. Recommends also that the Economic and Social Council request the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to consider convening, within available resources, a sessional working group to facilitate the exchange of information on experience gained by States in combating the illicit transit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

8. Encourages Member States and the relevant bodies of the United Nations system, subject to observance of the principles of national sovereignty and jurisdiction, to provide economic assistance and technical co-operation to the developing countries most affected by the illicit production of, traffic in and use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, in order to combat this problem;

9. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the Secretary-General of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking for their valuable efforts in implementing General Assembly resolution 40/122;

10. Acknowledges the work of bodies of the United Nations system, in particular the drug-control bodies, in assisting efforts and initiatives designed to increase international co-operation, and recommends that this work be intensified;

11. Takes note of the recommendations of the first Interregional Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies and requests, in the light of comments from Governments and United Nations bodies, that they be considered by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its thirty-second session, so that the specific measures required for their implementation may be identified with a view to their inclusion, for possible adoption, in the report to be submitted to the Economic and Social Council at its next session;

12. Reiterates its request to the Secretary-General to continue to make the necessary arrangements for holding, within the framework of advisory services, interregional seminars on the experience gained within the United Nations system in integrated rural development programmes that include the substitution of surplus and/or illegal crops in affected areas, including the Andean region;

13. Invites all States that have not already done so to become parties to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the 1972 Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and, in the mean time, to endeavour to comply with the provisions of these instruments;

14. Acknowledges the vital role played by the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control and calls upon Member States to contribute and/or increase their contributions to the Fund;

15. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution under the item entitled "International campaign against traffic in drugs".