25 May 1988

13th plenary meeting

Improved measures for reduction of the illicit demand

for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling that the General Assembly, in its resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, welcomed the successful conclusion of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and, in particular, the adoption of the Declaration and the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control,

Concerned about the growing abuse of drugs in most parts of the world,

Recognizing that measures for prevention, public awareness, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration are essential in curbing drug abuse,

Aware that existing strategies for the reducation of the illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and conventional methods for the evaluation of preventive and treatment measures have not always been effective owing to the complexity of the causes of the phenomenon,

1. Urges all Governments to foster, through national policies, the best possible conditions for the healthy development of, and a meaningful life for, all young people and to facilitate their integration into the community, so as to mitigate the social and economic circumstances that encourage abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

2. Recommends that scientific research into the factors that might promote or prevent drug dependence should be strengthened and that the methodologies and results of such research should be made available to all States;

3. Appeals to all Governments to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy for drug abuse prevention and public awareness that is designed to meet the particular situation and needs of the target groups and provides for long-term and continuous measures;

4. Further appeals to all Governments to create a national network of counselling and treatment services to advise high-risk groups and help misusers by providing appropriate treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes, aimed at reducing the harm associated with drug abuse and leading to a drug-free life;

5. Calls upon all Governments to engage non-governmental organizations as partners in the development and implementation of prevention strategies and the establishment of counselling and treatment services, in view of the importance of community commitment to demand reduction programmes;

6. Requests Governments to take suitable measures, as part of their national strategies in their campaigns against drug abuse, to reduce excessive and inappropriate use of medicinal products containing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including such measures as special education and training of medical, pharmaceutical and paramedical personnel on all aspects of the abuse problem and the rational use of such drugs;

7. Calls upon the Governments of countries facing problems of drug abuse to take, when appropriate, the necessary measures to reduce significantly the illicit demand for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to invite all Governments to implement the present resolution, in accordance with the Declaration of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline for Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control.