International economy - Drug trafficking hinders growth in Africa
Drug trafficking hinders growth in Africa
By Frances Williams in Geneva
Published: March 2 2005 00:55 | Last updated: March 2 2005 00:55
Growing abuse and trafficking of drugs in Africa is hindering both economic development and international drug control efforts, a United Nations report says on Wednesday.
The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board says that while cannabis remains the main illicit drug in Africa, trafficking and abuse of cocaine, heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants are increasing in many African countries.
A rise in injecting drug users in eastern and southern Africa could have “serious ramifications” for the spread of HIV/Aids, the board warns.
Production of cannabis in Africa is concentrated in Morocco, which accounts for about 40 per cent of world production and about 60 per cent of all cannabis resin seized.
This cannabis is trafficked in almost all African countries and may be fuelling some of the continent's deadly civil conflicts, the board says.
Cultivation of cannabis is also increasing in some other African countries because of falling prices for other crops, it says.
Much of the cannabis goes to Europe, where an estimated 29m people or more than 5 per cent of the population, used the drug last year.
The board, which blames rising cannabis use on misguided European tolerance, hails a seeming change of course in the Dutch government's famously liberal drugs policy to reduce the number of “coffee shops” where cannabis can be bought and smoked openly.
The US, which also has high levels of cannabis use, produces about 2500 tons of resin a year, the board says, despite a vigorous government eradication programme.
Turning to legal narcotics, the report notes that Iceland has now outstripped the US to become the world leader in per capita consumption of methylphenidate (such as Ritalin), a stimulant drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Use of methylphenidate in Iceland has risen more than five times over the past five years and similar increases have been recorded in other European countries such as Norway, Switzerland and the UK, the board says.
While not challenging the drug's effectiveness in treating ADHD, the board says safeguards are needed to prevent abuse, such as the raiding of supplies kept at school and the hoarding of pills to produce a stimulant “high”.
The report also voices concern on illicit internet sales of controlled drugs, such as Ritalin, painkillers, sleeping pills and amphetamines. Several billion doses of medicines are sold illicitly on the internet each year, posing potentially fatal health risks to consumers, the board says.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/b1e50c7a-8ab3-11d9-9059-00000e2511c8.html
By Frances Williams in Geneva
Published: March 2 2005 00:55 | Last updated: March 2 2005 00:55
Growing abuse and trafficking of drugs in Africa is hindering both economic development and international drug control efforts, a United Nations report says on Wednesday.
The Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board says that while cannabis remains the main illicit drug in Africa, trafficking and abuse of cocaine, heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants are increasing in many African countries.
A rise in injecting drug users in eastern and southern Africa could have “serious ramifications” for the spread of HIV/Aids, the board warns.
Production of cannabis in Africa is concentrated in Morocco, which accounts for about 40 per cent of world production and about 60 per cent of all cannabis resin seized.
This cannabis is trafficked in almost all African countries and may be fuelling some of the continent's deadly civil conflicts, the board says.
Cultivation of cannabis is also increasing in some other African countries because of falling prices for other crops, it says.
Much of the cannabis goes to Europe, where an estimated 29m people or more than 5 per cent of the population, used the drug last year.
The board, which blames rising cannabis use on misguided European tolerance, hails a seeming change of course in the Dutch government's famously liberal drugs policy to reduce the number of “coffee shops” where cannabis can be bought and smoked openly.
The US, which also has high levels of cannabis use, produces about 2500 tons of resin a year, the board says, despite a vigorous government eradication programme.
Turning to legal narcotics, the report notes that Iceland has now outstripped the US to become the world leader in per capita consumption of methylphenidate (such as Ritalin), a stimulant drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Use of methylphenidate in Iceland has risen more than five times over the past five years and similar increases have been recorded in other European countries such as Norway, Switzerland and the UK, the board says.
While not challenging the drug's effectiveness in treating ADHD, the board says safeguards are needed to prevent abuse, such as the raiding of supplies kept at school and the hoarding of pills to produce a stimulant “high”.
The report also voices concern on illicit internet sales of controlled drugs, such as Ritalin, painkillers, sleeping pills and amphetamines. Several billion doses of medicines are sold illicitly on the internet each year, posing potentially fatal health risks to consumers, the board says.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/b1e50c7a-8ab3-11d9-9059-00000e2511c8.html
posted by JimG at 10:31 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home