COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS

40th Session

Statement submitted by the TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY a non-governmental organization in consultative status I with the Economic and Social Council

Mr. Chairman,

On behalf of my organization, the Transnational Radical Party, a Non-governmental Organization with General status, allow me first of all to congratulate you on your ellection to the Presidency of this Session and at the same time let me express our honour to be able to partecpate for the first time at this important meeting.

For several years the TRP is engaged in exploring methods of political struggle to uphold the rights of citizens exposed each day to the dangers which the strange, illigal, yet free circulation of drugs constitutes and whose existence and durability the prohibitionist regime assures. It is time to face the problems relative to the means to guarantee the rights of the citizens as well as to solicit and efficiently arouse the true responsabilities of the State.

One hundred thousand poor drug addicts, or drug addicts reduced to poverty, must commit - due to the law, and not to "drugs" - several million acts of violence against people with the least defense, the poorest and the most disarmed. The situation is such, that in larger urban centers, two thirds of the crimes committed are related to drugs, or to be precise, to the drug laws. Every citizen, especially the weakest, therefore, becomes a potential victim of this micro-criminality. Prohibition and repression exclude drug addicts from medical and social services by forcing them to marginality. This inevitably incites risky behaviour and consequently the spread of infections diseases (AIDS, hepatitis and other pandemics) amongst the drug addicts from whom these diseases then spread further to the non-drug addicted population.

Illegality is, in the same manner, resposible for the mediocre quality of the substances on the market that are not subjected to any control and that are at the root of almost all deaths from overdose.

We must hold a debate without taboos, without prejudices and taking into consideration all hypotheses. It is civil society, the groups of ill persons, the local associations who, in principal, must launch a great discussion.

Whilst the power of international cartels conditions political decisions and opinions, the only answer given consists in the reinforcement of repression, in the reduction of the limits of democratic guarantees, of respect for the rights of the citizen and of freedom.

Mr. Chairman,

It is not the question of opposing another policy, but having the possibility to consider different positions and policies in treating this question, new regulations, prescriptions and services. Our point of view is the point of view of many citizens as a part of the community (formed for the vast majority by non-consumers and non-drug addicts) which no longer wishes to passively suffer the misdeeds of prohibition. We would like to point out even a serious consideration of the Commission on a suggestion of an antiprohibitionist policy position.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.