Putting out the fire: Special Session on drugs.

• Position: UN General Assembly

In continuing efforts devoted to the fight against illicit drugs, the General Assembly is convening a Special Session in New York from 8 to 10 June 1998. The United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Countering the World Drug Problem, which will mark the tenth anniversary of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, will assess the international drug problem and develop a forward-looking strategy for the twenty-first century, centred around the basic principle of a balanced approach between supply and demand reduction.

Representatives from 130 Governments, at the final preparatory session in Vienna from 16 to 21 March, agreed to a draft Political Declaration, proposed for adoption at the Special Session. It sets out a comprehensive global strategy designed to tackle simultaneously all aspects of the drug problem and puts forward a bold objective: a drastic simultaneous reduction of both illicit supply and demand for drugs by the year 2008.

In it, Member States of the United Nations will commit themselves "to establish 2003 as a target date for new or enhanced drug demand reduction strategies and programmes set up in close collaboration with public health, social welfare and law enforcement authorities and commit ourselves to achieve significant and measurable results in field of demand reduction by the year 2008". The six main themes that will be considered at the Special Session are listed below.

Precursor chemicals: In recent years, the diversion of precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit drugs has become one of the most serious challenges confronting international drug control efforts. To prevent it, countries have agreed to monitor domestic and international movements of certain chemicals. The Special Session will promote concerted global action by adopting measures to further strengthen the control of precursor chemicals and setting 2008 as the target date for a significant reduction of the diversion of precursors.

Amphetamine-type stimulants: Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are the most abused synthetic drugs manufactured clandestinely. Though relatively new, they have quickly become a part of the mainstream illicit drug culture. A wave of synthetic stimulant abuse has been reported in recent years, but global awareness of the problem is still limited and responses to it inconsistent. The Special Session will call for giving high priority to ATS and...