Resolution 71/211. International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem (Omnibus Resolution)

Recognizing also that civil society, as well as the scientific community and academia, plays an important role in addressing and countering the world drug problem, and noting that affected populations and representatives of civil society entities, where appropriate, should be enabled to play a participatory role in the formulation, implementation, and the providing of relevant scientific evidence in support of, as appropriate, the evaluation of drug control policies and programmes, and recognizing further the importance of cooperation with the private sector in this regard,

Noting with concern that the availability of internationally controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes, including for the relief of pain and suffering, remains low to non-existent in many countries of the world, and highlighting the need to enhance national efforts and international cooperation at all levels to address that situation by promoting measures to ensure their availability and accessibility for medical and scientific purposes, within the framework of national legal systems, while simultaneously preventing their diversion, abuse and trafficking, in order to fulfil the aims and objectives of the three international drug control conventions,

Reaffirming the need to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other United Nations entities, within their respective mandates, in their efforts to support Member States in the implementation of international drug control treaties in accordance with applicable human rights obligations and to promote protection of and respect for human rights and the dignity of all individuals in the context of drug programmes, strategies and policies,

Reaffirming that alternative development policies are an important component in enhancing development in States affected by, or in some cases at risk of, the illicit cultivation of crops used for illicit drug production and manufacture, and that they play an important role in national, regional and international development policies and in comprehensive policies of poverty reduction and cooperation,

Reaffirming also the commitment to addressing drug-related socioeconomic issues related to the illicit cultivation of narcotic plants and the illicit manufacture, production and trafficking of drugs through the implementation of long-term, comprehensive and sustainable development-oriented and balanced drug control policies and programmes, including alternative development and, as appropriate, preventive alternative development programmes, which are part of sustainable crop control strategies,

3. Reaffirms that addressing and countering the world drug problem is a common and shared responsibility that must be addressed in a multilateral setting, that it requires an integrated and balanced approach and that it must be carried out in full conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and other provisions of international law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action 11 on human rights and, in particular, with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, for the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States and for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and on the basis of the principles of equal rights and mutual respect;

10. Urges Member States to address the relevant socioeconomic factors that relate to the world drug problem through a comprehensive, integrated and balanced approach that incorporates drug policies in a broader socioeconomic and development agenda, in compliance with the three international drug control conventions;

11. Invites Member States to consider strengthening a development perspective as part of comprehensive, integrated and balanced national drug policies and programmes so as to tackle the related causes and consequences of illicit cultivation, manufacture and production of and trafficking in drugs by, inter alia, addressing risk factors affecting individuals, communities and society, which may include a lack of services, infrastructure needs, drug-related violence, exclusion, marginalization and social disintegration, in order to contribute to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies;

12. Encourages the development of viable economic alternatives, particularly for communities affected by or at risk of illicit cultivation of drug crops and other illicit drug-related activities in urban and rural areas, including through comprehensive alternative development programmes, and to this end encourages Member States to consider development-oriented interventions, while ensuring that both men and women benefit equally from them, including through job opportunities, improved infrastructure and basic public services and, as appropriate, access and legal titles to land for farmers and local communities, which will also contribute to preventing, reducing or eliminating illicit cultivation and other drug – related activities;

19. Encourages Member States to promote the inclusion in national drug policies, in accordance with national legislation and as appropriate, of elements for the prevention and treatment of drug overdose, in particular opioid overdose, including the use of opioid receptor antagonists such as naloxone to reduce drug-related mortality;

22. Encourages Member States to involve, as appropriate, policymakers, parliamentarians, educators, civil society, the scientific community, academia, target populations, individuals in recovery from substance use disorders and their peer groups, families and other co-dependent people, as well as the private sector, in the development of prevention programmes aimed at raising public awareness of the dangers and risks associated with drug abuse, and involve, inter alia, parents, care services providers, teachers, peer groups, health professionals, religious communities, community leaders, social workers, sports associations, media professionals and entertainment industries, as appropriate, in their implementation;

23. Also encourages Member States to consider alternatives to incarceration, conviction and punishment where appropriate and in accordance with the three international drug control conventions, noting that, in appropriate cases of a minor nature, States may provide, as alternatives to conviction or punishment, measures such as education, rehabilitation or social reintegration, as well as, when the offender has a drug abuse disorder treatment and aftercare, as well as support for recovery;

24. Encourages the development, adoption and implementation, with due regard for national, constitutional, legal and administrative systems, of alternative or additional measures with regard to conviction or punishment in cases of an appropriate nature, in accordance with the three international drug control conventions and taking into account, as appropriate, relevant United Nations standards and rules, such as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules);

25. Invites Member States to consider reviewing their drug sentencing policies and practices in order to facilitate collaboration between justice and public health authorities in the development and implementation of initiatives that utilize alternative measures to conviction or punishment for appropriate drug-related offences of a minor nature, subject to the legal frameworks of Member States;

27. Emphasizes the need to enhance the knowledge of policymakers and the capacity, as appropriate, of relevant national authorities on various aspects of the world drug problem in order to ensure that national drug policies, as part of a comprehensive, integrated and balanced approach, fully respect all human rights and fundamental freedoms and protect the health, safety and well-being of individuals, families, vulnerable members of society, communities and society as a whole, and to that end encourages the cooperation of Member States with, and cooperation among, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Narcotics Control Board, the World Health Organization and other relevant United Nations entities, within their respective mandates, including those relevant to the above-mentioned issues, and relevant regional and international organizations, as well as with civil society and the private sector, as appropriate;

29. Encourages Member States to promote effective supervision of drug treatment and rehabilitation facilities by competent domestic authorities so as to ensure adequate quality of drug treatment and rehabilitation services and prevent any possible acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, in accordance with domestic legislation and applicable international law;

30. Calls upon Member States to enhance access to treatment for drug use disorders for those who are incarcerated and promote effective oversight and encourage, as appropriate, self-assessments of confinement facilities, taking into consideration the United Nations standards and norms on crime prevention and criminal justice, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), 15 implement, where appropriate, measures aimed at addressing and eliminating prison overcrowding and violence, and provide capacity-building to relevant national authorities;

31. Encourages Member States to promote proportionate national sentencing policies, practices and guidelines for drug-related offences, whereby the severity of penalties is proportionate to the gravity of offences and both mitigating and aggravating factors are taken into account, including the circumstances enumerated in article 3 of the 1988 Convention and other relevant and applicable international law, and in accordance with national legislation;

38. Reiterates the strong commitment of Member States to improving access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes by appropriately addressing existing barriers in this regard, including those related to legislation, regulatory systems, health-care systems, affordability, the training of health-care professionals, education, awareness-raising, estimates, assessment and reporting, benchmarks for consumption of substances under control and international cooperation and coordination, while concurrently preventing the diversion, abuse and trafficking of such substances;

41. Invites relevant national authorities to consider, in accordance with their national legislation and the three international drug control conventions, including in national prevention, treatment, care, recovery, rehabilitation and social reintegration measures and programmes, in the context of comprehensive and balanced drug demand reduction efforts, effective measures aimed at minimizing the adverse public health and social consequences of drug abuse, including appropriate medication-assisted therapy programmes, injecting equipment programmes, as well as antiretroviral therapy and other relevant interventions that prevent the transmission of HIV, viral hepatitis and other blood-borne diseases associated with drug use, as well as consider ensuring access to such interventions, including in treatment and outreach services, prisons and other custodial settings, and promoting in that regard the use, as appropriate, of the technical guide for countries to set targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care for injecting drug users, issued by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS;

43. Takes note with appreciation of the 2015 report of the International Narcotics Control Board17 and the supplementary reports thereto, including the report entitled “Availability of Internationally Controlled Drugs: Ensuring Adequate Access for Medical and Scientific Purposes. Indispensable, adequately available and not unduly restricted”,18 which highlights the urgent need to ensure that substances under control are available for medical and scientific needs, provides an assessment of their availability and identifies impediments to access that Member States must work to overcome;

44. Invites Member States to strengthen, as appropriate, the proper functioning of national control systems and domestic assessment mechanisms and programmes, in cooperation with the International Narcotics Control Board, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Health Organization and other relevant United Nations system agencies, to identify, analyse and remove impediments to the availability and accessibility of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes, within appropriate control mechanisms, as required by the three international drug control conventions and taking into account the publication entitled “Ensuring balance in national policies on controlled substances: guidance for availability and accessibility of controlled medicines” and, for that purpose, to consider the provision of technical and financial assistance, upon request, to developing countries;

56. Invites Member States to target the illicit cultivation of crops used for the illicit production and manufacture of drugs and address related factors by implementing comprehensive strategies aimed at alleviating poverty and strengthening the rule of law, accountable, effective and inclusive institutions and public services and institutional frameworks, as appropriate, and by promoting sustainable development aimed at enhancing the welfare of the affected and vulnerable population through licit alternatives;

56. Encourages the promotion of inclusive economic growth and support for initiatives that contribute to poverty eradication and the sustainability of social and economic development, and encourages Member States to develop measures for rural development, improving infrastructure and social inclusion and protection, addressing the consequences of illicit crop cultivation and the manufacture and production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances on the environment, with the incorporation and participation of local communities, and to consider taking voluntary measures to promote products stemming from alternative development, including preventive alternative development, as appropriate, to gain access to markets, consistent with applicable multilateral trade rules and with national and international law, within the framework of comprehensive and balanced drug control strategies;

56. Encourages the promotion of inclusive economic growth and support for initiatives that contribute to poverty eradication and the sustainability of social and economic development, and encourages Member States to develop measures for rural development, improving infrastructure and social inclusion and protection, addressing the consequences of illicit crop cultivation and the manufacture and production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances on the environment, with the incorporation and participation of local communities, and to consider taking voluntary measures to promote products stemming from alternative development, including preventive alternative development, as appropriate, to gain access to markets, consistent with applicable multilateral trade rules and with national and international law, within the framework of comprehensive and balanced drug control strategies;

59. Invites Member States to consider elaborating and implementing comprehensive and sustainable alternative development programmes, including preventive alternative development, as appropriate, that support sustainable crop control strategies to prevent and significantly, durably and measurably reduce illicit crop cultivation and other illicit drug-related activities, ensuring the empowerment, ownership and responsibility of affected local communities, including farmers and their cooperatives, by taking into account the vulnerabilities and specific needs of communities affected by or at risk of illicit cultivation, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Development Programme and other relevant international organizations, bearing in mind national and regional development policies and action plans, with a view to contributing to the building of peaceful, inclusive and just societies, consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals and in compliance with relevant and applicable international and national law;

60. Also invites Member States to strengthen subregional, regional and international cooperation to support comprehensive and sustainable alternative development programmes, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development, as an essential part of successful prevention and crop control strategies to increase the positive outcome of such programmes, especially in the areas affected by and at risk of illicit cultivation of crops used for the production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, taking into account the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development;

62. Urges Member States to promote partnerships and innovative cooperation initiatives with the private sector, civil society and international financial institutions to create conditions more conducive to productive investments targeted at job creation in areas and among communities affected by or at risk of illicit drug cultivation, production, manufacturing, trafficking and other illicit drug-related activities in order to prevent, reduce or eliminate them, and share best practices, lessons learned, expertise and skills in this regard;

63. Encourages Member States to ensure that measures to prevent the illicit cultivation of and to eradicate plants containing narcotic and psychotropic substances respect fundamental human rights, take due account of traditional licit uses, where there is historical evidence of such use, and of the protection of the environment, in accordance with the three international drug control conventions, and also take into account, as appropriate and in accordance with national legislation, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

64. Reiterates its commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation to support sustainable alternative development programmes, including, as appropriate, preventive alternative development, in close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders at the local, national and international levels, and to develop and share best practices towards implementing the United Nations Guiding Principles on Alternative Development, taking into account all the lessons learned and good practices, in particular by countries with extensive expertise in alternative development, and notes, inter alia, the holding of the Second International Conference on Alternative Development in Thailand from 19 to 24 November 2015;

94. Calls upon Member States to take the steps necessary to implement the operational recommendations set out in the outcome document of the thirtieth special session of the General Assembly, in close partnership with the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations and civil society, and to share with the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, as the policymaking body of the United Nations with prime responsibility for drug control matters, timely information on progress made in the implementation of the recommendations;

97. Welcomes the commencement of the follow-up to the implementation of the recommendations set out in the outcome document of the thirtieth special session through the intersessional process of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, encourages the Commission to continue working on and supporting Member States in the implementation and sharing of best practices corresponding to the seven thematic areas of the outcome document, and invites the Commission to examine how its subsidiary bodies can better contribute to the implementation of outcome document, including by ensuring that the Commission is informed of regional and domestic concerns, developments and best practices arising from all stakeholders, including contributions from the scientific community, academia and civil society;