Challenge of illicit drugs

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia executed a Pakistani accused of smuggling heroin and amphetamines into the kingdom. That is how a drug receiving country is fighting its war on drugs - amidst growing signs that the world is about to lose this war. The UN General Assembly has just concluded its special session on drug problem after adopting the final document that 'encourages all member states to strengthen their co-operation in order to bring about a solution to the problem based on law enforcement, prevention and treatment'. The session was summoned by three Latin American countries - Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia - to rethink a global strategy towards fighting the drug problem, essentially by shifting focus from supply reduction to demand reduction. Asserting that a prohibitionist approach adopted over last two decades had failed to bring down the number of end-users they called for a shift towards decriminalization and greater focus on reducing harm caused by narcotics. What is the problem with legalizing "soft drugs", they asked. If someone wants an increase in the amount of marijuana for personal use it should be allowed, they say. And the United States, which receives most of its drug supply from across its border with Mexico, appears to be agreeing with them - as if you cannot catch the thieves join them. It is too supportive of greater emphasis on health-centred drug policies and alternatives to incarceration for people who use drugs, by 'regulating access' to marijuana. No wonder then the final document makes a clear departure from the 'failed approach' in the past and expresses hope of achieving the goal of "eliminating or significantly reducing illicit drugs by 2019".
Will such a so-called humanistic approach to drug abuse would help bring down the tally of end-users? An answer could be: that's in the realm of future. But it would certainly undermine the anti-narcotic policies and programmes of the producing and transit countries - Pakistan being one of them. On its own soil it has almost succeeded in eliminating poppy growth, but given its long porous border with Afghanistan it remains a significant consumer destination and transit route of the Afghan product. Rightly then Pakistan is deeply concerned over the emerging trend in some countries to legalise the use of illicit drugs. In his address to the special session Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali warned against the 'concepts like harm reduction and so-called human rights which are bound to further complicate the issue'. He said, "We all have been endeavouring to build a drug-free society and not a drug-tolerant society. The world community is therefore required to do more to counter the menace of illicit drugs in all its forms ... possibly through better co-ordination and co-operation". Instead of conceding space to pro-drugs lobbies by legalizing use of marijuana its use should be effectively curbed by use of force, and it is doable. The Taliban during their rule could completely eliminate production of opium in Afghanistan and can be done again. Pakistan has put in place a robust and comprehensive policy and an administrative mechanism to counter illicit drugs. Last year it seized 342 tons of illicit drugs, which means saving the world from over 1.86 billion drug dozes. By legalizing the use of so-called drugs the world would be undermining Pakistan's anti-narcotics efforts. If the wars on illicit drugs have to won the UN need to rethink its approach.