thsnarcoticsluxembourg2

Noël Hong THSMUN '08

Committee: Narcotics Topic: Legalization of Drugs Country: Luxembourg

I. __Background of the Topic__:

Drug-trafficking and drug use continues to expand, cross-border, and internationally. The growth of drug trafficking is a result of the expanding consumer market and poverty. The costs of drugs are increasing, which is making the sale or drugs more profitable for cartels. There has been an increase in successful interceptions, yet the black market continues to produce higher amounts of illicit drugs. Some of the major drugs being traded are opium, morphine, and heroine. Afghanistan has the highest cultivation of opium and Colombia accounted for 62 percent of the production of coca leaf. Drug use in Switzerland is one of the highest in Europe. In some countries, users of illicit drugs are sentenced to death for possessing only a few grams. People are recommending legalizing the use of small amounts of drugs for personal use. Legalization would allow illicit substances to be freely sold. The argument for legalization is to break up the black market, and to save countries money in law enforcement. In regard to legalization, users would be able to receive drugs daily, or weekly, for a lower rate than the current street rates.

During the 19th century, morphine use was legal and soldiers during the Civil War who were wounded became addicted. The level of addiction increased into the 20th century. In 1880, many drugs in the United States were legal and addiction skyrocketed. In 1975, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that adults could possess marijuana for personal use in the home. In 1988, studies found that the state's 12-17 year olds used marijuana over twice the average in their age group. By 1979, marijuana use increasing among teenagers. In 1979, 51% of 12th graders reported their use of marijuana in the previous 12 months. By 1992, their were stricter laws and the use in 12th graders had waned to 22%, 57% smaller than their previous count. The number of users of legal drugs is much greater than the users of illicit drugs.

II. __United Nations Involvement__:

Groups and committees have been formed, such as the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. Other organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, were formed. The UNODC runs many projects in Latin America, Southwest Asia and Southeast Asia. They help develop policies and strategies. The UNODC supports governments to manage natural community resources. The Harrison Act, formed in 1914, was one of the first broad anti-drug laws in the United States. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme, UNDCP, estimates that drug trafficking is so quantitative, that the revenue of illegal drugs is two times the revenue of the global pharmaceutical industry. The United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem was held in New York from June 8th-10th in 1998. The participants concluded that the drug problem is currently odd because high amounts of substances are sold for extremely low prices. They indicated that the problem is overproduction. The three United Nations narcotics conventions have room for interpretation. Their authors generally believe that the members of each state has the sovereignty to carry out the necessary measures to curb drug comsumption. The war on drugs is failing.

III. __Country Policy and Involvement__:

Luxembourg has done much to halt the use of illegal drugs. The Luxembourg Fonds de Lette contre le Trafic des Studefiants, Fund for the Fight against Drug Trafficking, was established in 1992 due to a provision of the UN COnvention Against Illicit Traffic and Psychotropic Substances in 1988. They provided a contribution of $500,000 to the UNDPC. Two agreements were recently signed for more contributions from the Luxembourg Fund to UNDCP: $73,500 for treatments and rehabilitation centers in South Africa, and $100,000 to drug abuse prevention of the UNDCP program for Iran. The Fund provided $223,600 in 1998 for the first phase of an alternative development project in Vietnam. Luxembourg is a major donor for the UNDCP. It also funds its own drug control activities in Luxembourg. The Fund supports international drug control and recently provided $300,000 to the Government of Cape Verde, in order to support their fight against illegal drug trafficking. In Luxembourg and some other countries of the European Union, personal drug use is prohibited.

IV. __Solutions__:

Luxembourg has studied legalization in other countries and how it has affected them. Looking at the results, Luxembourg has concluded that legalization will result in an increased number of drug-addicts. Legalization will make it harder to halt hard drug use. Luxembourg believes in directly addressing the problems of drug use. It would be best to further enforce and stop the black market rather than passing laws to yield more drug addicts. We propose forming a committee called S.L.O.D., Stop Legalization Of Drugs. Together, we can discuss and come to an agreement on our countries laws and law enforcement regarding the legalization of drugs.

V. __Bibliography__:

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/alternative-development/index.html

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/demand/speakout/06so.htm

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402E3D91039F93AA15752C1A96E958260

http://www.unesco.org/courier/1998_10/uk/ethique/txt1.htm

http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2001/harmpc.doc.htm__