Download Legal opium produetion in Afghanistan

CHRISTINA GYNNÅ OGUZ
Legal opium produetion in
Afghanistan - no solution
D
uring the 1990s, Afghanistan established itself as the
world's largest source of illicit opium and its deriva-
tive, heroin. By the end of the 1990s, Afghanistan provided
about 70 per cent of global illicit opium. Today, it accounts
for almost 90 per cent. In 1994 the estimated area under opium cultivation was 71 000 hectares. Ten years later it had
increased to 131 000 hectares. The most recent opium survey for Afghanistan, published by the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in November 2005 indicates
a decrease by 21 per cent to 104000 hectares - equivalent to
2.3 per cent ofthe total land used for agriculture. This represents the first reduction in many years and reverses the trend
of previous years when opium poppy cultivation expanded
into new provinces each year. However, favourable weather
conditions and low rates of plant disease resulted in a much
higher yield than in the previous year. As aresult, the total
potential opium production decreased only margin ally.
According to the Senlis Council, an international drug
policy think-tank, traditional drug policy responses based
on a combination of eradication, alternative livelihood and
interdiction have failed to contain the illegal opium threat.
Therefore Afghanistan should terminate its opium eradication programme and turn to producing legal opium for
medicinal purposes. At the same time, the Senlis Council
argues that opium produced for medicine in Afghanistan
would meet the needs of developing countries for pain-relief medicines.
Would this be a solution for the poor farmers of the war-
shattered Afghanistan? And would it mean that many
NORDISK ALKOHOL· & NARKOTIKATIOSKRIFT
VOL. 23. 2006
ENGLlSH SUPPLEMENT
143
Legal opium produetion
in Afghanistan - no solution
people, particularly in developing countries, who are now living in chronic pain
or dying in pain, would get access to adequate pain relief?
There is a global system for the control
of narcotic drugs, limiting the produetion
and use for medical and scientific purposes. The 1961 United Nations Single
Convention on Narcotic Drugs sets out
two main provisions for the cultivation
of opium pop py: (a) if a party (Le. astate)
intends to initiate the produetion of opium it shall take account of the prevailing
world need for opium, and (b) it shall not
permit the produetion if it may re sult in
illicit trafficking in opium. Afghanistan is
party to the 1961 Convention and is therefore bound by its provisions. The Karzai
Government prohibited the cultivation of
opium poppy in 2002.
Let us take a look at the two conditions
that allow for opium produetion. Is there a
need for more opium for the produetion of
medicine? And would Afghanistan be able
to fulfil the second condition, to prevent
illicit trafficking?
The international drug control system
has been put in place not only to prevent
the abuse of and trafficking in narcotic
drugs, but also to ensure that there is an
adequate supply of narcotic drugs for medicinal and scientific purposes. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)
examines on a regular basis is sues affecting the demand for and supply of opiates
used for medicinal and scientific purposes
with the aim of maintaining a balance between demand and supply.
In 2003, developing countries - which
represent about 80 per cent of the world's
population - accounted for only about 6
per cent of global consumption of mor144
NORDISK ALKOHOL· & NARKOTIKATIDSKRIFT
phine. The Board has on numerous occasions highlighted the faet that many peopIe, especially in developing countries, do
not have access to effective pain relief, and
has encouraged governments to take steps
to increase the medical use of opiates in
order to meet their real needs for the tre atment of pain.
Why do people in developing countries
not have access to effective pain relief
treatment? Is it because of an undersupply
of opium and, if so, ean this undersupply
be alleviated by making the illicit opium
poppy produetion in Afghanistan licit?
A look at the supply side indicates that
there is no shortage of opiate raw materials
for medicinal and scientific purposes. According to the INCB Narcotic Drugs report,
the total worldwide produetion of opiate
raw materials has exceeded the demand
for them for the past five years. Furthermore, the stocks of opiate raw materials
have continuously increased over the same
period of time and now amounts to double
the amount consumed annually. This is a
re sult of increases in total area cultivated
as well as technological advances. However, it is expected that in the near future,
global produetion of opiate raw materials
will be only slightly higher than the level
of global demand, thanks to the faet that
producing countries have taken action
to reduce produetion to reflect the global
demand for those raw materials - in line
with the provisions of the 1961 Single
Convention.
The current levelof legal produetion of
morphine is approximately 350-450 tons.
For comparison, the levelof potential illicit opium produetion in Afghanistan is
4100 tons, which is equivalent to at least
500 tons of morphine according to the
VDL. 23.2006
ENGLlSH SUPPLEMENT
LegaL opium produetion
in Afghanistan - no soLution
UNODC, maybe even more. Thus, Afghanistan alone would be able to produce as
much as "the prevailing world need for
opium" were it licensed to produce opium
for medicinal and scientific purposes.
What about the second condition in the
1961 UN Convention: not to perrnit the
produetion if it may result in illicit trafficking in opium? Currently, only India
produces opium for international trade
and medicine. Diversion is a big problem
in the country, although not openly admitted by the government. Other countries
such as Turkey, abandoned the produetion
of opium because of frequent diversion of
opium to illicit channeIs. Nowadays, the
limited number of producers of opiate raw
materials (e.g. Australia, France, Spain)
produce poppy straw instead of opium.
Poppy straw is an intermediate produet
different from opium which is not as likely
as opium to give rise to an abuse problem.
Would Afghanistan under present conditions be able to establish a licensing system with adequate control? After more than
two decades of conflict, military activities,
refugee movements, collapse of national,
provincial and local forms of governance,
lack of management and institution al capacity, Afghanistan is facing enormous
challenges for the future. The rule of law
has to a large extent been displaced by
the 'rule of the gun'. Proceeds from drug
trafficking are used by warlords and others in power at local and regionallevels
to fund their activities and maintain their
independence from the central government. It is simply not feasible that opium
licensing would result in reinforced law
enforcement and justice capacity building
efforts, as suggested by the Senlis Coun-
cil. It would be the wrong way round! The
rule of law must firs t be established.
Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world with up to 700 children
under the age of five dying every day due
to mostly preventable causes. Agriculture
will continue to play a significant role
in its development and the profitability
of the agricultural sector will depend on
investments in roads, water, power and
health care. A study authored by the Afghan Government in 2004 with assistance
from the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, UNDP and the
World Bank, concluded that Afghanistan
would need US $27.5 billion in external
funds over the coming seven years in order to move forward with the reconstruction and to avoid regressing into chaos and
lawlessness.
It is far too early to expect a lasting decrease in illegal opium cultivation and
produetion in Afghanistan. Over 80 per
cent of Afghanistan's population relies directly on the natural resource base to meet
its daily needs. It is true that farmers are
dissatisfied with the levelof development
assistance. The country needs financial
and expert support from outside to build
the infrastructure necessary for agricultural development. It needs investment
in education and primary health care. It
needs assistance to establish the rule of
law. It does not need confusing messages
that opium licensing would be a viable
alternative to alternative livelihood and
eradication.
Finally, let us turu to the is sue of insufficient and inadequate pain treatment.
N o information exists to suggest that the
supply of opiates for medical use is insuf-
NORDISK AlKOHOl- & NARKOTIKATIDSKRIFT
VOl
23.2006
ENGLlSH SUPPLEMENT
145
Legal opium produetion
in Afghanistan - no solution
ficient. So far, the pharmaceutical industry
needs are increasing. More than 50 mil-
has been able to respond to the increase
lion people die throughout the world each
in demand - especially for morphine and
year. The majority - four fifths - af these
certain other narcotic drugs - that has oc-
deaths are in developing countries. Huge
curred since the mid-1980s, largelyas a
investment is needed to ens ure that when
result af efforts by governments, the WHO
advanced treatment is no longer effective,
and health professionals to improve relief
ar when it is inaccessible for any reason,
af pain due to cancer. Still, many, many
people can have access to symptomatic
people do not have access to the medi-
treatment and pain relief. The obstacles
cines they need, especially among low-in-
are political, financial and a lack af under-
come and disadvantaged populations. For
standing and training in the adequate tre-
example, based an WHO estimates, more
atment af pain. These are the factors that
than half af the population in the poorest
need attention. Licensing opium poppy
parts af Africa and Asia lack access to es-
cultivation in Afghanistan is not the solu-
sential drugs.
tion.
The lack af access to medicines that
are safe, effective and af good quality is a
complex issue. Many gavernments reduce
their health budgets because af inadequate resources, while at the same time the
146
NORDISK ALKOHOL· & NARKOTIKATIOSKRIFT
Christina Gynnå Oguz,
Dep. National Drug Policy Co-ordinator
Mobilisering mot narkotika
Vasagatan 8-10, S-1 03 33 Stockholm
E-mail: [email protected]
VOL. 23.2006
ENGLlSH SUPPLEMENT