From June 8-10, 1998, the United Nations General Assembly held a Special Session devoted to the fight against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities.

In the preparation for the event, performed by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (see below for descriptions of UN agencies), there was little consideration of public health concerns or the innovative approaches to drug control that have emerged since the 1988 Convention. As a representative of the Open Society Institute, The Lindesmith Center acted as an observor to the preparatory meetings for the Special Session and played a larger role in calling for a reevalualation of current drug strategies and serious consideration of new emerging strategies and alternatives to the drug war. Lindesmith coordinated an open letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan including signatures from humdreds of prominent persons around the world (see letter), which was published in the New York Times on the first day of the Special Session. Lindesmith also coordinated with other non-governmental organizations in planning events around the Special Session, including three sessions on harm reduction, HIV prevention and international cooperation.

In the adjoining pages are news articles related to the Special Session, the open letter to Kofi Annan (to sign the letter, click on "Sign the Letter", print out the page, sign it and fax it! We can only accept signatures by fax or mail), several articles and briefings on the Special Session prepared by other interested non-governmental organizations and links to related sites and organizations (see links on either side of this text).

Who's Who in the United Nations Drug Control Apparatus

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA): the principal body through which the United Nations adopts resolutions, conventions and protocols, and approve funds. It also serves as the forum through which individual governments express their views.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): consisting of 54 Member States, it is responsible for, among many other issues, formulating overall UN policies in the field of drug abuse control, coordinating drug control activities with the full range of economic and social programmes of the UN, and making relevant recommendations to Governments.

Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND): consisting of 53 Member States, it is one of ECOSOC's six functional commissions. CND assists ECOSOC in supervising the application of international conventions and agreements dealing with narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. It also considers any changes that may be required in the existing machinery, and may prepare new conventions and international instruments. It is the central policy-making body within the UN for all questions related to drug abuse control.

United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP): advises and assists Governments and specialized agencies on the implementation of the international drug control treaty system.

International Narcotics Control Board (INCB): promotes and assists government compliance with the provisions of the drug control treaties. The Board's tasks are to ensure the supply of scheduled drugs for licit production, trade and use through monitoring governments and aid governments and international bodies in controlling illicit production, trade and use.

History

On 28 October 1993, UNGA resolution A/48/12 requested ECOSOC to examine the status of international cooperation within the United Nations against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotics and psychotropic substances in order to recommend ways and means to improve such cooperation.

On 27 July 1995, ECOSOC, with resolution 1995/40, after having taken into account the recommendations of the Executive Director of the UNDCP and the resolution of the CND, recommended that the UNGA and the CND give priority to the proposal to convene an international conference for the purpose of evaluating the international situation and the status of international cooperation on drugs.

On 21 December 1995, UNGA resolution A/50/631 requested that CND discuss fully, as a matter of priority, this issue of holding an international conference, focusing inter alia on the assessment of existing strategies, as well as on the consideration of new strategies, methods, practical measures and concrete actions to strengthen international cooperation on drugs.

On 23 July 1996, ECOSOC resolution 1996/17 expressed the Council's support for the proposal.

On 12 December 1996, UNGA resolution A/RES/51/64 decided "to convene a special session in order to consider the fight against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities, and to propose new strategies, methods, practical activities and special measures to strengthen international cooperation in addressing the problem of illicit drugs". In the same section of the resolution, it is also stressed that the special session should "be devoted to assessing the existing situation within the framework of a comprehensive and balanced approach that includes all aspects of the problem, with a view to strengthening international cooperation." CND was appointed to act as the preparatory body for the special session, to identify more precisely the issues to be considered at the special session.

On 26-27 March 1997, CND held the first meeting in Vienna as preparatory body for the Special Session of the UNGA (UNGASS). CND agreed that the following issues would be considered during the preparatory process: 1. Reaffirmation of the political commitment of governments for international drug control. 2. Demand reduction: adoption of the guiding principles on demand reduction and proposals for implementation. 3. Strategic measures: a) measures to counter illicit manufacture of, traffic in and abuse of stimulants; b) measures to enhance the control/monitoring of precursors frequently used in the manufacture of illicit drugs; c) measures to promote judicial cooperation; d) measures to counter money laundering; e) eradication of illicit crops and alternative development.

CND convened 3 informal open-ended meetings in July, October and December 1997, to discuss those items.

March 16-20, 1998, CND held the second and final formal meeting as preparatory body for the UNGASS. The documents to be considered at the UNGASS were largely finalized.

June 8-10, 1998, UNGA held the Special Session and approved the documents prepared by CND.