UN report calls for governments to intensify fight against drug abuse

doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7557.10-a

BMJ 2006;333:10 (1 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7557.10-a

News roundup

UN report calls for governments to intensify fight against drug abuse

Geneva John Zarocostas

Governments need to do more to stem the abuse of illicit drugs—from cannabis to amphetamine-type stimulants, and cocaine—to counter growing demand and to increase awareness of the dangers of using them, a United Nations report warns.

In 2005 about 200 million people, or 5% of the world’s population aged between 15 and 64, used illegal drugs at least once, it says.

Cannabis was the most widely used drug, with an estimated 162 million users or nearly 4% of the world’s population (aged 15-64). Second were amphetamine-type stimulants, with 35 million users. There were an estimated 16 million opiate users (11 million of whom used heroin) and 13 million cocaine users.

The report singles out for criticism the attitudes of governments towards cannabis and uncritical attitudes among celebrities and leading society figures to cocaine use.

Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the Vienna based United Nations Office on . . . [Full text of this article]

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