UN sees bright spot in heroin picture

[Tom]

South-East Asia could become virtually opium-free if trends continue, a report on the world drugs trade predicts.

 

The 2005 World Drug Report, released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, says production of opium in South-East Asia, which is predominantly used to make heroin, is 78 per cent lower than it was in 1996.

 

Production in the region, particularly in Burma and Laos, is forecast to fall further this year.

 

"If the declines witnessed over the last few years are sustained, it would not be too far outside the realm of possibility that South-East Asia could become virtually free of illicit cultivation over the next few years," the report says.

 

However, it warns that Afghanistan determines the size of the world's main opiate markets, and there the situation is not so hopeful. It says poppy cultivation in 2004 was at record levels, but the outlook this year is slightly more positive.

 

The report says the Afghan Government is gradually strengthening its control over the country and those involved in the opium business. But it cautions that although the area under cultivation is smaller, this could be offset by higher yields this year.

 

It says that almost a quarter of all opiates are now being seized by law-enforcement authorities, particularly in Pakistan and Iran.

 

The report, which uses reports from national and local authorities for most of its information, says heroin and cocaine use has strongly declined in Australia, while cannabis consumption remains steady.

 

Overall, the report says 200 million people, or 5 per cent of the world's population aged 15-64, have used illegal drugs at least once in the past 12 months. But 50 per cent of the world's population used alcohol, and 30 per cent consumed tobacco.

 

It estimates the value of the worldwide illegal drug market in 2003 at US$13 billion ($17 billion) at the production level, $US94 billion at the wholesale level and US$322 billion at the retail level.

 

The retail value is 12 per cent of global export of chemicals and more than the total value of worldwide exports of ores and other minerals.

 

The report says Oceania has the highest spending on illegal drugs per head in the world, followed by North America and Western and Central Europe. Asia, Africa and South America - where prices are low - have the lowest per capita spending on illicit drugs.

 

Global expenditure on drugs amounts to about US$50 per person per year. Cannabis is the most commonly used drug, followed by amphetamines, ecstasy and cocaine. But the report says heroin continues to be the drug that causes the most problems.

 

Author:Mark Coultan Herald Correspondent in New York

Date:July 2, 2005

Source:The Sydney Morning Herald.

Copyright:© 2005. The Sydney Morning Herald.

 

 

 

[Tom]

The report, which uses reports from national and local authorities for most of its information, says heroin and cocaine use has strongly declined in Australia, while cannabis consumption remains steady.

Found this one too, it has an anti-mj flavour to it and they use a bit of poetic license to give it the flavour they want.

 

NEWS YOU CAN TRUST

 

Cannabis Leads the Way as Global Drug Use Rises      

30 June, 2005  05:55 GMT

 

In Europe and Asia, 62 percent of those seeking help for drug abuse in 2003 were addicted to opiates, while 59 percent of all drug treatment in South America was for cocaine. Cannabis was the most common drug for people seeking treatment in Africa and North America. Global drug use is on the rise with cannabis leading the way, but synthetic narcotics such as amphetamines and ecstasy are declining, a UN report said Wednesday.

About 200 million people around the world -- or 5 percent of the global population between the ages of 15 and 64 -- use drugs at least once a year, the 2005 World Drug Report said, analyzing figures from 2003 and 2004. The number of drug users had increased by 15 million from last year's report, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said.

 

Marijuana and hashish remain by far the most popular street drugs. Almost 161 million people had used cannabis at least once, up from about 150 million a year earlier. The use of cannabis is likely to grow in coming years, the report said.

 

Biggest Problem

 

"Cannabis, in my view, is the biggest problem we are facing," UNODC Director Antonio Maria Costa said. "Not because it's a killer," but because it leads people to try heavier drugs.

 

"It has this double role which makes it very problematic," he said.

 

The report said global cocaine production in South America last year increased for the first time since 1999, but that the fight to stop opium production in the Middle East and South Asia was yielding results.

 

Opium production has dropped in the so-called Golden Triangle, where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet -- the world's second-largest heroin-producing region behind Afghanistan. In Laos, opium cultivation was down 43 percent while it fell 23 percent in Myanmar, the report said.

 

"We may declare the whole of the Golden Triangle opium-free by 2007," Costa said at a news conference in Stockholm.

 

In Afghanistan, the amount of land dedicated to growing opium poppy increased to record highs, but bad weather ruined much of the crops so that the global increase in opium production stayed at 2 percent, the report said.

 

While Afghan officials have estimated a 30 percent reduction this year in the amount of land used to cultivate poppies, Costa said that may largely be offset by higher productivity due to better irrigation systems.

 

"Productivity is probably going to increase, so we don't know how many tons" of opium will be produced, he said. "Last year, (nature) was on our side. ... This year, nature is not on our side."

 

18th Largest Economy

 

The overall retail value of illegal drugs sold worldwide in 2003 was about US$322 billion -- higher than the individual gross domestic product for 88 percent of the world's countries, the report said.

 

"That makes it the 18th largest economy in the world," Costa said. "With a very small population."

 

While cannabis use increased, the use of amphetamines and ecstasy dropped, mainly in the United States and Southeast Asia, the report said.

 

Amphetamines were still the world's second most popular drug, with 26 million users, while there were an estimated 7.9 million ecstasy users worldwide.

 

The report said the main "problem drugs" globally for people seeking help at treatment centers are cocaine and opiates, such as heroin.

 

In Europe and Asia, 62 percent of those seeking help for drug abuse in 2003 were addicted to opiates, while 59 percent of all drug treatment in South America was for cocaine. Cannabis was the most common drug for people seeking treatment in Africa and North America.

Source.

[WantDaChronic]

However, it warns that Afghanistan determines the size of the world's main opiate markets, and there the situation is not so hopeful. It says poppy cultivation in 2004 was at record levels, but the outlook this year is slightly more positive.

 

if the united states really wanted opiates removed from the public, they would spend just 1 year's worth of DEA funding to buy then burn every poppy field in the world + the usa would still have change to spare

 

It estimates the value of the worldwide illegal drug market in 2003 at US$13 billion ($17 billion) at the production level, $US94 billion at the wholesale level and US$322 billion at the retail level.

 

why do governments hate drugs and dealers? because its a free trade and they cannot tax the $322 billion that gets past the tax office every year ::

 

The report says Oceania has the highest spending on illegal drugs per head in the world, followed by North America and Western and Central Europe. Asia, Africa and South America - where prices are low - have the lowest per capita spending on illicit drugs.

 

thats because of supply and demand, the usa has a high supply and demand which means that the drugs are cheaper to buy, in asia they have a high demand and not as high supply so the prices go through the roof and only the rich can afford to get stoned :thumbdown

 

Global expenditure on drugs amounts to about US$50 per person per year. Cannabis is the most commonly used drug, followed by amphetamines, ecstasy and cocaine. But the report says heroin continues to be the drug that causes the most problems.

 

again with the supply and demand, herion is an extremely addictive drug which is always in demand but not always in good supply...that causes problems because users constantly crave their next shot and will pay the price, doing anything they can to get the money to pay for it...same applies for all drugs i suppose but you'll notice that once a person moves on up to powders, they'll do a hell of a lot more to get money than they would if they were just a pot head :thumbdown

[Gush]

The planet is run by crooks........so sit back, arc one up, and tell em to blow it out their arse. :smoke