Global Illicit Drug Trends 2002

285 Pages·2002·22 MB·English

ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime STATISTICS
GLOBAL ILLICIT
DRUG TRENDS
2002
UN
United Nations Office
ODCCP
for Drug Control
and Crime Prevention
ODCCP Studies on Drugs and Crime STATISTICS
GGLLOOBBAALL IILLLLIICCIITT
DDRRUUGG TTRREENNDDSS
22000022
New York, 2002
UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION
Sales No. E.02.XI.9
ISBN 92-1-148150-3
This publication has not been
formally edited.
Preface
PREFACE
At the twentieth special session of the General Assembly in 1998, States Members agreed to
make significant progress towards the control of supply and demand for illicit drugs by the year
2008. They noted that this objective could only be achieved by means of the ‘balanced
approach’ (giving demand as much attention as supply), and on the basis of regular assess-
ments of the drug problem. The aim of the present report is to contribute to such assessments
by presenting supply and demand statistics and analysis on the evolution of the global illicit drug
problem.
Reliable and systematic data to assess the drug problem, and to monitor progress in achieving
the goals set by the General Assembly, however, is not readily available. The present report is
based on data obtained primarily from the annual reports questionnaire sent by Governments to
UNDCPin 2001, supplemented by other sources. Two of the main limitations encountered by
UNDCPare that: (a) the reporting is not systematic enough, both in terms of number of coun-
tries responding and of content, and (b) many countries lack adequate monitoring systems.
The report tries to overcome these limitations by presenting, annually, Estimates of illicit drug
Production, Trafficking and Consumption. These statistics form the main body of the report.
They are supplemented by a section on Analysis, which focuses on different themes each year.
Last year, the Analysis section contained chapters dealing with Clandestine Synthetic Drugs and
Main Centres of Illicit Opium Production (Afghanistan and Myanmar). Today, international opiate
markets continue to be in a state of flux, a result of the drastic reduction in Afghanistan’s illicit
opium production in 2001, and the resumption of production this year. The present report thus
continues the analysis of illicit opiate markets, in a chapter on The Impact of Changes in
Afghanistan.
The difficulties of trying to measure an illicit activity are well known. Although they impose ob-
vious limitations on data, it is possible to make reasonable order-of-magnitude estimates. It is
highly desirable to do so, because these estimates encourage transparency, stimulate discus-
sion and build knowledge. Empirical evidence is the only realistic basis for policy-making. I
would like to commend the Research Section of UNDCPfor preparing this report which, by pre-
senting what we know and by showing what we do not know, contributes to building the know-
ledge base for better policy and for better focussed action towards achieving the goals set in
1998.
Antonio Maria Costa
Executive Director
United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention
1

Explanatory Note
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This report was prepared by the Research Section of UNDCPand has been reproduced without for-
mal editing.
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the
expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the
legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its fron-
tiers or boundaries. The names of territories and administrative areas are in italics.
The following abbreviations have been used in this report:
ARQ annual reports questionnaire
ATS amphetamine-type stimulants
CICAD Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission
CIS Commonwealth of Independent States
DEA Drug Enforcement Administration (United States of America)
DELTA UNDCPDatabase for Estimates and Long-term Trends Analysis
DMT N,N - dimethyltryptamine
DOB brolamfetamine
EMCDDA European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
ESPAD European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs
F.O. UNDCPField Office
HONLC Meeting of Heads of National Law Enforcement Agencies - Latin America and the
Caribbean
HNLP Meeting of Heads of National Law Enforcement Agencies - Asia and the Pacific
IDU Injecting drug use
INCB International Narcotics Control Board
INCSR International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (United States of America)
Interpol/ICPO International Criminal Police Organization
LSD lysergic acid diethylamide
NAPOL National Police
ODCCP United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention
PCP phencyclidine
UNDCP United Nations International Drug Control Programme
UNAIDS Joint and Co-sponsored United Nations Programme on Human
Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
WCO World Customs Organization
WHO World Health Organization
Govt. Government
u. Unit
lt. Litre
kg Kilogram
ha Hectare
mt Metric ton
3

Table of contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIGHLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
ANALYSIS
Global Illicit Opiate Markets at the Crossroads:
The Impact of Changes in Afghanistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
ESTIMATES
Production
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Opium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Coca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Eradication reported . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Farmgate prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Value of 2001 farmgate production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Manufacture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Trafficking
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Opiates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Cocaine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Cannabis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Amphetamine-type stimulants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Wholesale and retail (street) prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Consumption
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Opiates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223
Cocaine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
Cannabis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254
Amphetamine-type stimulants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260
Primary drugs of abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Main problem drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Sources and limitations of data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281
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Global Illicit Drug Trends 2002
HIGHLIGHTS
ANALYSIS
• The ban on opium production in Afghanistan in 2001 and subsequent develop-
ments in that country have brought global opiate markets to a cross-roads.
Although the consequences of the 2001 fall in production were delayed by the
existence of large stocks and the resumption of opium production in 2002 pres-
ents great challenges to the Afghan Interim Authorities and the international
community, many factors create a potential for making significant progress in
the control of global illicit opium production.
PRODUCTION
• Following the ban in Afghanistan, global opium poppy cultivation was reduced
by 35 %, from about 222,000 ha in 2000 to about 144,000 ha in 2001. Potential
production of opium at the global level went down by 65%, from about 4,700 mt
in 2000, to about 1,600 mt in 2001.
• In Afghanistan, opium poppy cultivation was down by 91 % to 7,606 ha in 2001
(against 82,171 ha in 2000), and opium production by 94 % to 185 mt in 2001,
from 3,276 mt in 2000. The reduction in Afghanistan was not offset by increas-
es in other countries. In Myanmar (the largest source of illicit opium during the
year, before Afghanistan and the Lao PDR), cultivation and opium production
remained relatively stable with 105,000 ha and 1,097 mt in 2001. In the Lao
PDR, opium poppy cultivation decreased by 9 % in 2001.
• AUNDCPpre-assessment survey in February 2002 showed that opium poppy
cultivation has resumed in Afghanistan and could cover from 45,000 ha to
65,000 ha and produce from 1,900 mt to 2,700 mt of opium in 2002, which is
comparable to mid-1990s levels. Avery large increase in production in Myanmar
is not expected in 2002.
• Because of a reduction in Colombia and despite relatively modest increases in
Peru and Bolivia, there was a net decrease of about 10,000 ha (or 5 %) of coca
bush cultivation at the global level in 2001, to about 211,000 ha. In Colombia,
after years of continuous increase, coca cultivation was down to 144,807 ha in
November 2001, a reduction of more than 18,000 ha, or 11 %, from previous
year’s estimates.
• Information is lacking to make an assessment of illicit cannabis cultivation at the
global level but growing seizures suggest a continued increase.
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Highlights
TRAFFICKING
• Heroin seizures increased by 44% in 2000, reflecting Afghanistan’s bumper
harvest of 1999.
• Cocaine seizures declined by 7% in 2000.
• ATS seizures increased by 17% in 2000, reflecting more production and the
methamphetamine epidemic in East and South East Asia.
• The eleven-year trend (1990 - 2000) shows ATS seizures growing at an annu-
al average rate of 28%, compared to 8% for heroin, 6% for cannabis herb, 5%
for cannabis resin and 1.5% for cocaine.
CONSUMPTION
• UNDCPestimates that about 185 million people consume illicit drugs (annual
prevalence 1998 - 2000). This includes 147 million for cannabis, 33 million for
amphetamines, 7 million for Ecstasy, 13 million for cocaine, 13 million for opi-
ates (of which 9 million for heroin). These numbers are not cumulative because
of poly- drug use.
• The strongest increases recorded in 2000 were for ATS consumption.
• At the regional level, opiate abuse remained stable in West Europe and North
America, increased in East Europe, Central Asia and Africa, and decreased in
South East Asia and Australia.
• Cocaine abuse decreased in the USA, but increased, though less rapidly than
earlier, in South America, Africa and Europe.
• Cannabis abuse generally increased in Europe, the Americas, Africa and
Oceania (though there are signs of stabilization in some major markets in West
Europe and North America), and decreased in South and South West Asia.
• Abuse of amphetamines increased strongly in East and South East Asia and
appeared to be stabilizing, after years of increase, in West Europe, as well as
in North America.
• Ecstasy abuse increased in the Americas, South East Asia and some parts of
Europe, and stabilized in other parts of Europe.
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