GLOBAL DRUGS POLICIES 'HAVE FAILED OVER PAST 10 YEARS'

Global drug policies have failed over the past 10 years to reduce the
problem in any way, according to an EU report presented in Vienna,
ahead of a UN conference on narcotics.

The report, which was carried out for the European Commission by an
independent group of international experts, "found no evidence that
the global drug problem has been reduced during the period from 1998 to 2007".

While increased action has been taken against producers and sellers,
the report noted that prices in Western countries "have fallen since
1998 by as much as 10 to 30 per cent".

And "there is no evidence that drugs have become more difficult to
obtain," it added.

The report comes as 53 member states of the Commission on Narcotic
Drugs (CND) are to meet in Vienna on Wednesday to discuss global drug
policies since a 1998 UN plan to reduce drug abuse and trafficking.

But the document, which was ordered by the EU's Justice, Freedom and
Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot, highlights the near total
failure of drug enforcement.

"The most harm comes from policies rather than from drugs," said
Peter Reuter from the University of Maryland, who led the studies for
the report.

"Enforcement of drug policies has caused lots of unintended harm," he
told a press conference in Vienna.

Reuter also noted: "It's very hard to demonstrate the consequences of
tougher enforcement on quantity or prices."

On the contrary, the fight against drugs contributed to corruption
and crime, and increased health risks for consumers, he said.