Dr Jonathan Lucas presenting the World Drug Report as Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Mandla Makhanya looks on |
The 2008 World Drug Report was released at a gathering at UNISA’s main campus on 23 July 2008 highlighting as an increase in demand for cannabis (dagga) as well as the stabilisation of drug production and drug prevalence rates over the last decade since United Nations General Assembly in 1998.
Dr Jonathan Lucas, the Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) presented his report titled 2008 World Drug Repot: Global and Regional Perspectives and Trends where he explained the global trends in drug production; trafficking; as well as consumption. Attended by many role-players in the government, the customs industry, police enforcement as well as the media, Dr Lucas spoke about the surge in the supply of illicit drugs in 2007.
In 2007, on the supply side, opium cultivation increased in both Afghanistan and Myanmar and cocaine cultivation increased in Bolivia, Peru and Columbia. On the demand side, despite increases in cannabis, cocaine and opiate users, annual prevalence levels have remained stable.
One of the achievements of the report shows that the containment of illicit drug use is less that 5% of the world population aged 15-64. Click here for the full report.
Dr Lucas presents Prof Makhanya with a copy of the 2008 World Drug Report | |
