The UN's War on Drugs

If you didn't know already, the UN, not the USA, has played the largest part in criminalizing drugs in our Country, and around the world. Not until the UN codified their drug provisions did the US follow in kind. I only know this because I wrote a research paper on the international laws that truly dictate our drug laws in the USA. Hopefully I can dig it out of my closet and post some links/excerpts.

Either way, this story is interesting. Now, the article claims that drug use and production is "down", however the truth is that is has simply not grown at as large a rate. Its static.

"For almost all drugs – cocaine, heroin, cannabis and amphetamines – there are signs of overall stability, whether we speak of production, trafficking or consumption," he said, commenting on the agency's annual drug report that was released Monday.
In a telephone interview from the agency's Vienna headquarters, Mr. Costa said, "The general message of this report is that we have some pretty robust evidence that containment, a word we first used in 2004, is becoming a trend, though we need in the next few years to prove that it is statistically and logically strong."

"It still could be a fluke," he said, "but we hope to prove that it's now cyclical."

Basically, nothing is changing. Drugs aren't disappearing, they are experiencing the same multi-billion dollar market as usual. This story makes for some fun propaganda though.

Does anyone else find this paragraph disturbing?

The release of the new drug report coincides with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a day created by the UN "as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse." In recognition of the awareness day, nations from around the world have renewed their pledge to continue fighting illegal drugs.

Clearly national sovereignty is no issue for the UN. But its sad to see such a large group caught in such delusion. A "society free of drug abuse" is such a joke I makes me sick. Reality isn't important to these folks, apparently.

Their "Youth Charter for a Twenty-First Century Free of Drugs" could be a textbook in delusion.

Considering that we live in a world in which drug trafficking and drug use constitute a threat to the development and progress of our societies, that drugs engender ever more violence, crime, exploitation and other violations of our rights, we urge our countries to combat these threats and, to this end, to guarantee peace, freedom, democracy, solidarity, justice, protection of the environment and access to employment,

Drugs are chemicals and plants that people take to get high. "Drugs", the simple substances, cause no violence. The ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE causes crime and violence, and overzealous police action causes violations of our rights.

Of course, this could be different in other nations, particularly in drug producing nations. But isn't that just why this UN policy is so stupid in the first place? Every nation has their own situation, and should be free to make laws without fear of international retribution by the UN.

Maybe this is just some angry screed against those who claim that "drugs" imprison people. In fact, it is completely stupid international and federal laws which are imprisoning people for taking liberty with their own bodies.