25 May 1988

13th plenary meeting

Strengthening of co-operation and co-ordination in

international drug control

The Economic and Social Council,

Considering that the implementation of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, forms the basis for national and international drug control,

Aware that the adherence of as many States as possible to the existing international drug control treaties is essential to achieving regional and international co-operation and co-ordination in reducing illicit demand for drugs and suppressing the illicit traffic, in improving training, administrative practices and data collection, and in undertaking joint activities,

1. Urges all States that have not already done so to accede to the existing international drug control treaties;

2. Also urges parties to those treaties to implement the provisions thereof;

3. Invites Governments to establish appropriate national mechanisms for the adequate co-ordination of activities and co-operation between agencies engaged in drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, the control of the supply of illicit drugs and the suppression of illicit trafficking;

4. Recommends that Governments, where they have not already done so, seek to establish at the regional level an organizational structure to stimulate, where appropriate, common activities and training seminars and workshops on drug control, to be held at regular intervals, for the following purposes:

(a) Undertaking research and surveys to assess the nature and extent of drug abuse;

(b) Providing training in law enforcement and improving administrative practices;

(c) Introducing programmes to prevent drug abuse at the national and regional levels, having due regard to the prevailing socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions;

(d) Exchanging experience and consulting on innovative policies, measures or experiments regarding the reduction of drug supply and demand;

(e) Making use of any expert knowledge and other resources in the region and soliciting expertise from other regions, where appropriate;

5. Recommends that Governments and international organizations, as appropriate, could usefully consider the following activities in greater detail, with a view to implementing them:

(a) Studies of patterns of illicit consumption, with a view to bringing about greater awareness and sharing of information and providing policy guidance on effective countermeasures;

(b) The development of public education programmes, including the use of kits, publications and audio-visual equipment, to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in specific target groups and to make the general population aware of the hazards of drug abuse;

(c) Programmes in prevention, law enforcement and administrative practices required by the international drug control treaties, including the production and dissemination of manuals and other training material, where appropriate, and programme evaluation;

(d) The detection and identification of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and their origin, as well as precursors and essential chemicals that could be diverted to illicit use, and the provision of equipment for these purposes;

(e) The constitution of ad hoc groups to co-ordinate, on a multilateral basis and among police forces, strategies to identify and immobilize drug trafficking organizations;

(f) The development of a methodology for the collection and analysis of data on the illicit traffic;

(g) The establishment of mechanisms for the speedy and secure exchange of information between drug law enforcement authorities locally, nationally and across common borders and the provision of appropriate communications equipment where needed;

(h) The improvement of co-ordination among all agencies concerned with regard to the scope, content and scheduling of seminars and other training programmes, in order to enhance their effectiveness;

6. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in particular, the Division of Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations Secretariat and the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control, as well as the International Criminal Police Organization and the Customs Co-operation Council, to support, whenever possible, the efforts and initiatives undertaken by Governments as recommended in the present resolution;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the text of the present resolution to all Governments, specialized agencies and other intergovernmental organizations concerned for consideration and implementation, as appropriate.