UNODC World Drug Report 2010

Universal access to therapy by means of drugs. We should not only stop the harm caused by drugs: we should unleash the capacity of drugs to do good. What do I mean? Recall that the Preamble of the Single Convention (from 1961) recognizes that “… the medical use of narcotic drugs is indispensible for the relief of pain, …. and adequate provision must be made to ensure their availability …” Although there is an over-supply of opium in the world, many people who suffer major illnesses have no access to palliative care. Why should a Nigerian consumed by AIDS or a Mexican cancer patient, be denied medication offered to their Swedish or American counterparts? Help us overcome cultural, professional, administrative and socio-economic factors that conspire to deny people the opium-based relief (morphine) they need.