UN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS INSPIRED BY PROHIBITIONIST PRINCIPLES HAVE FAILED!

STATEMENT PRESENTED BY THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY TO THE UNGASS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON BEHALF OF THE DRUG POLICY CAUCUS OF THE NGO VILLAGE, THE SWISS COMMITTEE FOR DRUG LEGALIZATION, THE DUTCH DRUG POLICY FOUNDATION AND THE GLOBAL COALITION FOR THE ALTERNATIVES TO THE DRUG WAR.

Statement of the Radical Party

Delivered by Marco Cappato

New York, June 9, 1998

"Since 1961, the UN International Conventions on Narcotics and Psychotropic substances have tried to control drugs all over the world. Although there has not been a comprehensive and independent evaluation of these policies to date, figures presented in the UNDCP 1997 World Drugs Report show us that there has been a constant increase in the production, trade and consumption of any type of illicit substances.

In every City of the World, one can buy any illegal drug at anytime of the day and everyday of the year. Today drugs are free, it is only a question of money, but, the price is high and the quality is bad.

That is the major result of Prohibition: No reduction of demand, no reduction of supply, only high prices and bad quality and as logical consequences of that, a huge criminality, an increase in health risks and the addiction of other unnecessary new health risks.

As long as the differences between poor and rich people in this world are that big, we will find people who are willing to take the risk of dealing with drugs, regardless how risky the job could be.

At the turn of the millennium the time has come to change direction and pursue a legal regulation of products that are today illegal. A licit presence of these substances on the marketplace would imply a regulation that would prevent adulteration and help abusers to deal with their health problems. Dealing with dangerous addictive substances should not be left in the hands of people who have no sense of responsibility and only want to make money. On the other hand Freedom of cures would allow physicians to decide on a case by case basis the best treatment for their patients.

Producers and consumers are treated like criminals and incarcerated for non-violent offences, advocates of alternative policies are censored in international forums and presented as favorable to the use and abuse of all drugs.

We call on the Secretary-General and Member States:

to change this dangerous situation, to urge a comprehensive independent evaluation of current policies, to monitor the implementation and enforcement of UNDCP programmes, in order to secure the respect of fundamental Human Rights, to open a constructive debate with those representatives of the international civil society that care about people's health and wealth and are disposed to fully cooperate with the International Community."