There is no excuse for waiting until the epidemic is widespread. Drug abuse affects the individual, the family and the whole community. Apart from human suffering and family disruption, there is the incalculable economic burden imposed on society in terms of loss of manpower, drug-related crimes, and the need to provide treatment and rehabilitation services. Experience shows that drug trafficking is closely linked to other trans-national crimes such as money laundering, corruption and trafficking in women and children. The link to war and conflict is also of great concern to us.
Drugs mean money.
The circulation of huge amounts of illegal money in small and vulnerable economies may ultimately destabilize an entire country. According to some estimates, the monetary value of drug trafficking may even have surpassed that of international trade in oil, and may be second only to the arms trade. This should ensure close cooperation between these two important UN bodies. We believe in multilateral collaboration and the important role of the UN system. A key factor in combating drug distribution and abuse is obviously the role played by governments.