- Title: MEXICO: UN drugs board discuss global drug trafficking trends
- Date: 3rd March 2011
- Summary: SINALOA, MEXICO (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SEIZED METH LAB BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MARIJUANA BEING DESTROYED / SET ON FIRE
- Embargoed: 18th March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Mexico, Mexico
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Social Services / Welfare
- Reuters ID: LVA1I8MQQTBCYI2W8CJA77M2ZABT
- Story Text: The Central America and Caribbean region continues to be used as a major transit point for the large-scale trafficking of illicit drugs because of its location at the crossroads of the main producing countries in South America and the consumer markets in North America and Europe, said the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) in its annual report on Wednesday (March 02).
Nevertheless, Antonio Luigi Mazzitelli, a representative of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime, said during a news conference in Mexico City, marijuana is no longer smuggled because it is now produced locally.
"Cocaine consumption has grown exponentially in Central America, Mexico, Latin America and Asia. It's the same case for marijuana. Nowadays marijuana is grown in 160 states around the world. We no longer speak of international marijuana trafficking. Each state produces its own marijuana."
The U.N. global drugs watchdog also said the problem of so-called "designer drugs" is running out of control in many regions of the world.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said detailed instructions for how to make designer drugs, which are slightly altered to bypass existing control systems, are often shared via the Internet.
The report said the problem was "escalating out of control" and "major efforts" were needed to counter it.
"There are always new drugs which are consumed. The system is extremely complex. It manages to reduce the impact mainly in developing countries which can't support mechanisms to legalize (drugs) which affect those without resources to pay for rehabilitation treatments," added Mazzitelli.
An INCB board member, Jorge Montano, mentioned that while the total amount of cocaine smuggled to North America has declined due to reduced demand, the proportion transiting through Central America has increased.
"To hear of a general reduction of cocaine use in the United States is not good news. It has been replaced and that is worrying because they are neighbours - as Clinton (Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) said in a famous phrase - who have an insatiable appetite for drugs."
The United States is the main destination for illicit drug shipments. Drug trafficking organizations based in Mexico dominate the market for cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine in the United States.
In 2009, an increase in the abuse of all drugs except cocaine was reported in the United States. From 2007 to 2009, several agencies reported the abuse of prescription drugs as the greatest drug-related threat. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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