Letter from the Director

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Abigail Shepherd
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2 Letter from the Director Delegates, I am very pleased to welcome you to the WMHSMUN XXIX! My name is Katie Conely and I am excited to serve as your director for the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. I am currently a senior at the College, pursuing a degree in Public Policy and a minor in Linguistics. This year will be my eighth and final WMHSMUN. On campus I am involved in many different organizations including the International Relations Club, the Front Porch Society, StudentCaucus, Corpus, and a few other organizations. In the past I have been involved with the Flat Hat and Student Assembly. The overarching topic of our committee, drug policy, is one of my passions. It is something I have studied for many years and feel strongly about. I am excited to share this passion with all of you. That being said, there are many different approaches to the study and execution of drug policy, and the discussions we have in committee may be more controversial that you may expect. In order to keep a productive environment for debate, I would ask all delegates to approach the topic with maturity. Please remember that we are discussing policy and other delegates can, and will, have differing opinions. When we are discussing different drugs and effects of drug use, please refrain from using colloquialisms and street names. As a general rule, any phrasing that appears in the background guide is appropriate for committee. Phrasing that does not appear has been omitted for a reason. If you have any questions about my expectations, please feel free to contact me. It is my hope that this weekend will open your eyes to an area of policy that is rarely discussed in the classroom and that is moving center stage in the global political world. I hope that you all learn something new about this policy area and the complicated situation in lays within. I hope that this weekend will encourage you all to ask questions, seek answers, and form your own opinions as you move into your adult lives. Welcome to WMHSMUN! Your Director, Katie Conely kkconely@ .wm.edu

3 Background on the Committee The Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which falls within the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is charged with the duty of supervising the application of international drug treaties. The body was created by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in 1946 and in 1991 the General Assembly expanded the mandates of the Commission to serve as the governing body of the Office on Drugs and Crime. 1 The Commission is also charged with creating the World Drug Report. The most recent report was published in 2014 and contained information on the international drug trade, drug containment efforts, ongoing and future programs, and the results of past programs. 2 I would highly recommend delegates skim the Report to get an overview of the work the Commission does, as well as specific information about their country s status. In 2014, the Commission conducted a high level review that will be reviewed by the General Assembly in Therefore the work that the committee does this session will be most imperative to assist the General Assembly in its review. 1 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Drug Trafficking, 2 Commission on Narcotic Drugs, World Drug Report 2014, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (2014) 3

Demand Reduction Demand reduction, also known as drug-use prevention, is a main focus of the Commission, and in 2013 the United National Office of Drugs and Crime launched the standards on Drug Use

4 Demand Reduction Demand reduction, also known as drug-use prevention, is a main focus of the Commission, and in 2013 the United National Office of Drugs and Crime launched the standards on Drug Use Prevention. 4 These standards call for science based prevention programs that respond to the needs of communities. As we saw with the failure of the DARE program in the United States, scare tactics and police threats are ineffective in preventing youth drug use. 5 Therefore, this group will need to develop demand reduction programs that are effective and enduring, in order to help produce a drug free generation. Currently the Commission has multiple programs in place to facilitate drug use prevention. One of the most successful campaigns has been Project GLO-K01. 6 This family skills based program is currently working in Central Asia, Latin America, and South Eastern Europe. The program works with families as a unit, in small groups of 10 to 12, giving them the tools necessary to tackle the tough discussions of drug use, together. The program has seen great success, focusing on delaying the initiation of substance abuse, increasing attachment to schooling and academic success, teaching peer pressure resistance skills, and improving problem solving skills. 7 The commission also publishes helpful guides on drug use prevention skills. Their family skills based training guides discuss evidence based programs, giving children and 4 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Demand Reduction, 5 Jessica Reaves, Just Say No to DARE, TIME, Feb. 15, 2001 ( 6 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Project GLO-K01, 7

5 parents skills to have difficult discussions. These guides are also used by policy makers, program managers, and non-governmental organizations, as well as practitioners, clinicians, and other professionals. 8 Their guides for schools claim that evidence based drug education based on life skills that offer personal, social, resistance, and communication skills, normative education about how many of the peers in the adolescent age group actually have tried alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, as well as information about the short term effects of drugs through a series of sessions offered by trained teachers who use interactive techniques to engage the young people are very effective. 9 However there are issues with programs in schools not all schools have an effective structure and not all programs have the time to take away from classroom instruction. Additionally the commission notes that many school based programs start too young and rely on ineffective scare tactics. 10 Delegates should work together to create new standards to implementation of effective programs in schools. Finally, the main focus of the commission s demand reduction program is to delay and deter new users from turning to drugs. This is accomplished through many youth based initiatives. Funded by the Drug Abuse Prevention Center s generous grants to prevent drug abuse among youth in low and middle income countries. 11 There have been issues, however, with disseminating information about these grants and opportunities. The delegates should work to promote these opportunities and informational guides the Commission provides in order to further the demand reduction efforts. Delegates should look over the Youth Initiative Discussion Guide in order to fully understand the initiative. The International Drug Trade 8 United Nationals Office on Drugs and Crime, Family Skills Training, 9 United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Schools, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Youth Initiative,

6 Drug trafficking is a global illicit trade involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. 12 In this committee we will focus mainly on drugs classified as narcotics, also known as opioids. Opioids are drugs derived from the opium poppy. Common opioids include morphine, heroin, codeine, methadone, buprenorphine, tramadol, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. These drugs are commonly used for medical treatment of pain and opioid dependence, however, they are also often abused recreationally. 13 We will also discuss the trafficking of cocaine, amphetamines, and marijuana. Annually the world consumes 340 tons of heroin. Seizures of the substance show that between 430 and 450 tons of heroin are introduced into the global market annually. The majority of this heroin is manufactured from opium grown in Myanmar, Laos, and Afghanistan. Heroin travels through two main trade routes: the Balkan route and the Northern route. The Balkan route is estimated to produce $20 Billion annually, by trafficking heroin through Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria to Western Europe and the United States. The Northern route has an estimated value of $13 Billion annually, trafficked through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan to Russia. 14 Between 2007 and 2008 cocaine was used by 16 million people globally. It is estimated that 80% of this consumption took place in the United States and Europe, with 40% of the total global consumption (470 tons of cocaine) taking place in the United States and 25% in Europe. This results in an annual value of $88 Billion for the global cocaine trade. The majority of the cocaine in the world is produced in South American and distributed through either the North American trade route or the European route. The North American route transports cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Central America to the United State and Canada. The European route transports cocaine by sea through container shipments. This cocaine United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organization, Opioid overdose: preventing and reducing opioid overdose mortality, Discussion Paper UNODC/WHO, (2013) 14

7 mostly originates from Colombia, but there has been a rise in cocaine exports from Peru and Bolivia. Regional Specifics Central Asian Heroin Trade Routes Central Asia 15 For as long as the drug trade has been studied, Afghanistan has dominated the global opium market. In 2009, Afghanistan produced 90% of the global opium supply. This makes up a $55 Billion market, distributing opium to Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. Transport by road is still the main method of distribution for large quantities of heroin through both the Balkan and Northern Routes. The Balkan route sends heroin from Southern Afghanistan, through Iran and Pakistan, to Turkey and Western Europe. The Northern route travels through Central Asia to be distributed in Russia and China. In the past decade we have also seen an increase in the hashish 16 trade out of Afghanistan. While this is a fairly new operation, it seems that Afghan hashish is starting to rival Europe s traditional provider, Morocco. 15 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Central Asia, 16 Marijuana

8 There are many structural issues in Afghanistan this body will need to consider when discussing how to combat the heroin trade. The heroin trade is so established in Afghanistan that the entrenched smuggling networks, widespread insecurity, and drug based economy, make it difficult for change to take hold. The trade is so large it extends to the neighboring nations of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This body will need to work together to promote increased border control and cooperation between states, in order to effectively combat the trade. East Asia and the Pacific 17 With a few exceptions, nations in this region are majorly recipients and consumer of illegal drugs, however there is a large presence of amphetamines and synthetic precursors trafficked through the region. To combat this trade, the Commission established the Global Synthetics Monitoring: Analysis, Reporting, and Trends (SMART) program. The goal of the program is to coordinate efforts across member states in the region, as the consumption of amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) continues to increase in Eastern Asia. The Commission will need to work to create country specific programs in the region in order to bolster law enforcement in areas where it is determined to be weak, compromised, corrupt, or where cooperation is minimal. 17 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, East Asia and the Pacific,

9 Cocaine Seizures in 2008 Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean 18 Latin America is the hub of the global cocaine trade. The majority of this cocaine is brought to North America and Europe for consumption, however, we have also seen a rise in consumption in South Africa. The majority of the world s cocaine comes from Colombia, shipped to Mexico and Central America by sea, and then transported by land to the United States and Canada. It is estimated that 90% of the cocaine entering the United States comes over the Mexican border into Texas. Colombia is also the main supplier of cocaine to Europe, however there has been a rise in direct shipments from Peru and Bolivia. There are many in depth Commission programs in the region to combat this massive trade. The Santa Domingo Pact was established to deal with trafficking and to assist law 18 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean,

enforcement. The Pact works to eliminate the effects of the enormous organized crime, cartel, and gang activity in the region, as well as providing resources to combat corruption in law enforcement.

10 enforcement. The Pact works to eliminate the effects of the enormous organized crime, cartel, and gang activity in the region, as well as providing resources to combat corruption in law enforcement. The Commission also helped to establish the Regional Center of Excellence on Maritime Security in Panama to combat the massive amounts of cocaine trafficked through the sea with up to 70% of Colombia's cocaine travelling through the Pacific. Seizures of Amphetamine Type Substances in 2008 Middle East and North Africa 19 The Middle East and Northern Africa are at a particular risk for the drug trade due to the many conflict, post-conflict, and fragile states in the region. Some major examples include the conflict in Israel and Palestine, instability in Iraq and Sudan, and how the violence and unrest in those countries lead to consequences in neighboring countries. When discussing solutions and programs to combat the trade in this region, delegates should hold strengthening 19 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Middle East and North Africa,

11 governance, insecurity, conflicts, poverty, and economic disparity in high concern, as well transnational organized crime and inadequate criminal justice systems. Over the last decade we have seen a significant rise in amphetamine seizures in the region. The amphetamine type substances are trafficked from Southern Europe to the Middle East, with laboratories, used to synthesize ATS into methamphetamines, likely to be placed alone these routes. In the region, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Syria act as some of the major transit points, with Turkey also acting as a major transit point for the heroin trade. We have also seen an increase in cannabis exports out of Morocco, to mainland Europe.

Major cocaine seizures 2005-2009 West and Central Africa 20 The focus on this region is fairly new and is mostly focused on the cocaine trade, however there are have also been quantities of

12 Major cocaine seizures West and Central Africa 20 The focus on this region is fairly new and is mostly focused on the cocaine trade, however there are have also been quantities of unspecified amphetamines in the region. This region is particularly at risk due to organized crime and terror cells, and their connections to the drug 20 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, West and Central Africa,

13 trade and instability, in the member states. Between 2004 and 2007, at least two shipment hubs emerged one in Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, and one centered in the Bight of Benin, bridging from Ghana to Nigeria. It is likely that shipments to these hubs are coming from Colombia, and going through to Spain and Portugal, with some shipments coming from Venezuela as well. Other Markets (Silkroad) In October 2013 the online drug marketplace Silkroad was seized by United States law enforcement, however, a few weeks later Silkroad 2.0 was launched, and the marketplace returned. 21 Although Ross Ulbricht was convicted on all seven counts and sentenced to life in prison, the relaunch of the website showed the world that the internet drug trade was here to stay. Between the sites launch in 2011 and the seizure, Silkroad had made $213 million in the sale of illegal drugs, counterfeit goods, and paraphernalia. 22 Many individual users in developed countries seem to prefer the online marketplace to traditional street dealers for its ease of use, user ratings, and protection from prosecution. The marketplace can only be accessed through a series of encrypted computers, conveniently wrapped in the downloadable ToR network, and transactions are made through the use of the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. By using the network, users are able to protect their identities and have their drugs delivered directly to their doorstep. Serrin Turner, prosecutor in the Ulbricht case, described the legacy of Silkroad: It lowered the barriers to drug dealing by enabling drug dealers to reach customers online they could have never met on the street. 23 In addition to handling traditional issues related to drug trafficking, the commission will need to think of creative solutions to battle the international drug trade as the internet makes the world a smaller and more intimate place. 21 Benjamin Weiser, Man Behind Silk Road Website is Convicted on All Counts, New York Times, February 4, Weiser, Man Behind Silk Road. 23 Weiser, Man Behind Silk Road.

Legalization, Decriminalization, and Enforcement In the 53 rd session, with the passing of Resolution 53/4, the Commission was given jurisdiction over changes and promotion of the 1971 Convention on

14 Legalization, Decriminalization, and Enforcement In the 53 rd session, with the passing of Resolution 53/4, the Commission was given jurisdiction over changes and promotion of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. 24 With this came a whole new range of topics for the Commission to discuss. As the world begins to reevaluate their drug classifications, delegates should remember that in the resolution charged the commission and the world to remember that in drug control and the implementation of drug conventions, must proceed with due regard to health and human rights. 25 One of the most important issues the Commission faces is access to opiates. Resolution 53/4 says that we should aim to promote adequate availability of internationally controlled illicit drugs for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion and abuse. 26 Currently 80% of the world lacks adequate access to analgesics, including terminally ill 24 United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Ensuring Availability of Controlled Medications for the Relief of Pain and Preventing Diversion and Abuse, Discussion Paper UNODC, (2011) 25 UNODC, (2011) 26 UNODC, (2011)

15 patients, patients with life-threatening injuries, chronically ill individuals, women in labor, and pediatric patients. 27 These analgesics are unavailable for a variety of reasons, from lack of access to first world medication to harsh government regulations. This causes a global opiate analgesic shortage, affecting countries both first and third world, and is only increased by global inequalities. The issue is so severe that it is estimate 90% of the global consumption of morphine, fentanyl, and oxycodone registered in 2009 occurred in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, and many European countries. 28 In modernized countries, strict opiate prescription laws come from increasing overdose rates associated with an increase in availability of opioids, both illicit and prescribed. Therefore, it is imperative that delegates work to create a holistic program that helps ensure access to opiates globally, while addressing the increase in global prescription opiate abuse. In a joint discussion paper on opioid abuse, the UNODC and WHO laid out a plan for preventing opioid overdose. 29 These steps include reducing availability and demand, treatment for those with opioid dependence, and demand reduction through prison treatment programs. 30 There has also been promise in community based naloxone distribution programs for opioid dependents in 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, and Vietnam. 31 This commission will need to develop a plan using community based programs, voluntary and mandatory treatment programs, and a public health based approach to drug dependence in order to create effective solutions. 27 UNODC, (2011) 28 UNODC, (2011) 29 UNODC/WHO, (2013) 30 UNODC/WHO, (2013) 31 UNODC/WHO, (2013)

16 Finally the commission will also need to evaluate possible changes to the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971). In 2001, Portugal decriminalized all drugs and in 2013 Uruguay was the first country to legalize marijuana. 32 Furthermore, multiple state in the United States have begun to move toward legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. Next year, the United Nations General Assembly will be reevaluating global scheduling standards and it is up to this committee to provide them with a formal recommendation. Many global policy experts, including Kofi Annan, have formed the Global Commission on Drug Policy which has laid out a number of recommendations for this commission. It suggest delegates, look over the commission s recommendations in order to perform a well-informed debate. 32 Drug Policy Alliance, Global Reform,

17 Works Cited Benjamin Weiser, Man Behind Silk Road Website is Convicted on All Counts, New York Times, February 4, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, World Drug Report 2014, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (2014) Drug Policy Alliance, Global Reform, Jessica Reaves, Just Say No to DARE, TIME, Feb. 15, 2001 ( United Nationals Office on Drugs and Crime, Family Skills Training, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organization, Opioid overdose: preventing and reducing opioid overdose mortality, Discussion Paper UNODC/WHO, (2013) United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Ensuring Availability of Controlled Medications for the Relief of Pain and Preventing Diversion and Abuse, Discussion Paper UNODC, (2011) United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Schools, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Youth Initiative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Central Asia, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Demand Reduction, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Drug Trafficking, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, East Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean,

18 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Middle East and North Africa, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Project GLO-K01, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, West and Central Africa, UNODC, (2011) UNODC/WHO, (2013) Weiser, Man Behind Silk Road.

19 WMHSMUN Twenty-Nine

Royal Internal Congress. Colegio Real de Panamá. Security council. Drug traffic on a worldwide scale. Joshua Harris Moderador

Royal Internal Congress. Colegio Real de Panamá. Security council. Drug traffic on a worldwide scale. Joshua Harris Moderador Royal Internal Congress Colegio Real de Panamá Security council Drug traffic on a worldwide scale Joshua Harris Moderador Gabriel Garcia Co-Moderador 5 y 6 de Octubre de 2017 1 Dear delegates, Welcome