United Nations Offers 10-Year Opiate Eradication Plan

INTERNATIONAL November-December 1997

The United Nations has put forth a 10-year plan to drive coca and opium producers out of business ("U.N. offers 10 year plan to eradicate heroin, cocaine," Raleigh News & Observer (North Carolina), November 11, 1997).

The plan was outlined by Pino Arlacchi, head of the U.N. effort against drug trafficking and organized crime. Arlacchi said the campaign would use a mix of economic incentives, monitoring and enforcement. The U.N. plans to target Afghanistan poppy growers first. Arlacchi estimated that it would cost $25 million a year over the next 10 years to end opium production in Afghanistan. U.N. officials hope to prevent coca and opium production from moving to neighboring countries by identifying areas where production might move to, by destroying the first crops, and by providing jobs or incentives to grow other crops.

Arlacchi said that the effort against the production of coca in Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia must also mix incentives and tough law enforcement to be successful.

For a copy of the plan, contact the United Nations Drug Control Program - (212) 963-5634.