05 November 1999
(Conference wrap-up issues recommendations of leaders) (2080) The historic gathering of the Western Hemisphere's top drug policy officials has yielded "consensus on a number of important principles," says General Barry McCaffrey, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Held in Washington from November 3-5, the first-ever Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Leadership Conference assembled counter-drug experts from 33 countries to discuss the challenges posed by illegal drug use, trafficking and production. McCaffrey, in a November 5 statement outlining the summit's agenda, described several key points, including: the dangers of rising drug consumption, the need for drug-education and drug-treatment programs, and the vital importance of disseminating information among experts and achieving an integrated hemispheric anti-drug policy. The conference also dealt with subjects relating to prosecution of drug offenders, such as stemming corruption and protecting the integrity of the judicial system. Furthermore, the role of a free press must be safeguarded, participants agreed, arguing that "journalists covering counter-drug efforts play a critical role in educating [the] public." To that end, McCaffrey's statement stressed that reporters' "physical safety and right to do their jobs" must be ensured. In conclusion, the conference offered a set of recommendations, calling for a subsequent meeting "to assess our progress and challenges, perhaps mid-year 2001, after the next Summit of the Americas," with particular emphasis on coordinating and cooperating "regionally and hemispherically on interdiction of drugs, chemicals and money." Following is the text of the White House overview statement at the summit's finale: (begin text) DIRECTOR'S POINTS WESTERN HEMISPHERE DRUG POLICY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 5, 1999 OVERVIEW -- This first-ever Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Leadership Conference takes place almost precisely between the Santiago 2nd Summit of the Americas in April 1998 and the Quebec City 3rd Summit of the Americas scheduled for April, 2001. -- Our conference has brought together the men and women who, following the Santiago Summit Mandate, negotiated the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism, a hemispheric performance measurement system. The MEM will be implemented next year. -- The MEM will help to create a new hemispheric counter-drug relationship focused on the common problem of drugs and based on mutual respect and cooperation. -- As we prepare for this new stage, we thought it important to take stock of how far we have come and to lay out the new challenges we will face in the next decade. -- Over the past three days we have heard presentations from the hemisphere's top counter-drug experts, both on demand and supply. -- These presentations have generated thorough discussion and led to emergence of consensus on a number of important principles. Below these key issues are highlighted by topic. Presentation 1: Future Changes in Drug Use: Patterns and Trends -- Augusto Perez Gomez, Director, Program to Confront Drug Consumption, Colombia -- Jorge Bolivar Diaz, Assistant Executive Secretary, SECCATID, Guatemala. Key Points -- 1. Drug consumption growing: It is becoming major problem throughout hemisphere. For the first time many South American countries are measuring significant increase in use of illicit drugs, including cocaine and heroin. 2. Education is critical: Need to make clear the social and economic consequences of drug abuse to society and develop targeted programs to different segments of the population. 3. Need high quality treatment: Nations must implement universal standards to improve quality and consistency of drug treatment service delivery. 4. We must, disseminate what we learn: Research results on prevention, education and treatment should be disseminated, in appropriate languages, throughout hemisphere. 5. Coordination is essential: Need for better interagency integration of demand reduction programs; and to balance those programs with supply reduction for an integrated national policy. Presentation II: Research and Science: Public Health Impact of Drug Abuse. -- Alan Leshner, Director, National Inst. on Drug Abuse (NIDA), US Key Points -- 1. Addiction is a brain disease: People who take drugs are self-medicating to make themselves feel better (increase dopamine levels). The result is that regular drug users modify the state of their brains. A major task of treatment is to get brain back to normal. 2. Drug addiction is a treatable disease: Scientific research provides effective, proven tools to treat those addicted to drugs. 3. We know how to lower risk of drug abuse: Protective or resiliency factors that reduce risk of addiction include strong family, and education as well as multiple affiliations with organized entities such as schools, churches and athletics. 4. Drug abuse and crime are linked: Research indicates that 70% of incarcerated inmates testing positive for drugs will return to prison if treatment is not provided to them. Presentation III: Current and Future Trends in Drug Trafficking -- Ronald K. Noble, Secretary General ICPO-Interpol -- nominee Key Points-- 1. Drug trafficking is a big business: Narcotraffickers want to make money. Law enforcement should give high priority to following the money-asset forfeiture is the way to get at the leadership of major drug trafficking organizations. 2. Private sector can help: Law enforcement must open doors to business and civil society - build bridges to gather information and support. Cooperation of financial institutions is essential. 3. What we measure is critical: Seizure stats should be used differently, not as body count. Seizures, properly analyzed and exploited, can lead to important information, arrests, and act as a deterrent. 4. Personnel issues central to mission: Must devote necessary resources to hire, train, and equip police, judicial, and customs officials. Affects quality of police forces, investigative capabilities, and corruption. Regional centers for training, education, and information sharing can help. Presentation IV: Law Enforcement Strategies for the Future -- Walter Maierovitch, Secretary, National Antidrug Secretariat, Brazil -- Joseph Theodore, Minister of National Security, Trinidad & Tobago Key Points -- 1. Standardize legal framework: Every nation needs ability, under rule of law, to conduct undercover operations, in absentia trials, extradition, and international system of letters rogatory. 2. Globalization of drug trade requires cooperation: Law enforcement must change -- need for interdependence, increased collaboration, more rapid exchange of information and intelligence, operatives must be trained in high technology. Illicit drugs are the major source of income to international criminal groups. International cooperation is key to effectively targeting them. 3. Anti-corruption measures: Transnational crime and narcotrafficking are creating parallel state structures that compromise the legitimate government. In addition, drug money is now used to commercialize legitimate activity. The result is that the rule of law and democracy are undermined. 4. Law Enforcement must work with community: Agencies must engage and participate with wider society through public education and mobilization as well as through community policing. 5. Treatment in prisons: Prisons should include programs to rehabilitate drug addicted inmates. Presentation V: Social and Economic Costs of Drugs -- Eduardo Amadeo, Secretary, National Anti-Drug Secretariat, Argentina -- Jacques LeCavalier, Chief Executive Officer, Centre on Substance Abuse, Canada -- Claudio Molina, Counselor, National Drug Control Agency, Chile Key Points -- 1. Policy should be driven by data: Can increase societies awareness and understanding of drug-related problems by strengthening scientific institutions and developing solid data. 2. Technical Assistance needed to measure costs: tools to measure social costs of drugs are only now being developed and used. Many countries need help to develop their own expertise. 3. Need to set goals: Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism will be an important international assessment method, but there is also need for individual countries to set achievable goals and measure efforts to meet them. 4. Rivalry between supply and demand unhelpful: There are social costs for. societies due to both drug trafficking and drug consumption. Need to measure costs and seek solution to both sets of challenges. VI: The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign -- Shona Seifert, Senior Partner, Ogilvy & Mather Key points -- 1. Approach to campaign design involves: Forming alliances; involving the local private sector; partnering with media owners; working with the advertising industry; and using market research. 2. U.S. experience shows value of- Integrated marketing and public health communications campaign; targeting multiple audiences reached where they live, work and play (via internet, movies, classrooms, televisions, etc.); and, employing culturally relevant messages in appropriate languages. 3. Must study impact and continually update campaign via: Awareness and attitude tracking 365 days per year and using communications mapping (to illustrate which media vehicle is most effective in communicating each message). Presentation VII: Future Challenges to Drug Control Policy -- Jorge Madrazo Quell Attorney General, Mexico -- Rand Beers, Assistant Secretary, Department of State, U.S. -- Alejandro Aguinaga, Minister of Health and President of CONTRADROGAS), Peru Key Points -- 1. Traffickers are developing new products: Today's traffickers are savvy marketers and business experts. They are diversifying product line, exploiting new markets, introducing synthetic drugs and involving themselves in a broader array of criminal activities. 2. Corruption can undermine our efforts: Need to reward and protect individuals who reveal corruption and to conduct public audits on expenditure of drug-related government funds. 3. Justice system as whole must work: Cannot just arrest people, must have strong prosecutors and judges as well as effective prison system. 4. Hemisphere must transcend national borders: Nations cannot let drug traffickers exploit national borders. We must work together regionally and hemispherically to go after traffickers. 5. Role of free press must be protected: Journalists covering counter-drug efforts play a critical role in educating public. Their physical safety and right to do their jobs must be protected. Presentation VIII: Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism -- Jean Fournier, Deputy Solicitor General, Canada -- David Beall, Executive Secretary, CICAD/OAS Key Points -- 1. MEM is historic achievement: No large group of nations has ever attempted such a multifaceted mutual evaluation system. All 34 OAS countries are speaking a common language. We are linked by a common vision. The rest of the world is watching with interest. 2. We will learn a lot in first year: In calender 2000 MEM will use 61 of 82 indicators. Must walk before we can run. We will present year 2000 results to Presidents in Quebec City at 3 d Summit. With their approval, we will apply what we have learned and do better in 2001. 3. MEM will focus National Governments: Many nations need to develop technical capacity to measure consumption, to provide quality treatment, to control drug and chemical trafficking and address money laundering. We will learn from and help each other. 4. Can only make informed decision with good data: Whether one is in government or industry, timely and reliable performance measures are needed to make informed judgements. The ability to gather, arrange and manipulate vast quantities of information is essential to sound management decisions. That is why the MEM is so important. RECOMMENDATIONS: During discussion, senior drug policy leaders reached consensus that they would: -- Meet again, subject to CICAD's call, to assess our progress and challenges, perhaps mid-year 2001, after the next Summit of the Americas. -- Produce a conference report consisting of the presentation documents and a summary of the discussions held. -- Discourage the legalization of drugs due to the severe health threat posed by consumption of illicit narcotics. -- Share information about successful antidrug programs. -- Coordinate and cooperate regionally and hemispherically on interdiction of drugs, chemicals and money. -- To develop tailored anti-drug media campaigns that effectively make use of television, radio, internet, magazines. Also should employ anti-drug messages at large gatherings of people, such as concerts and sporting events, -- To increase prevention and education information available on the Internet. -- Encourage treatment of those in prison or otherwise under criminal justice supervision. -- Above all, to aggressively support the multilateral spirit and momentum that we have achieved. CONCLUSION: -- Thank you, finally, to David Beall, Alberto Hart and the entire CICAD Executive Secretariat for their hard work is putting this event together. -- Let me conclude with the inciteful words of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Thomas Pickering, who told us: "Narcotics trafficking is simply too large, too complex, and too fluid a problem to be tackled by anyone country or small group of countries. Only as true partners working together on all fronts can we hope to meet and effectively beat back the daunting global drug challenge. This is a true partnership and reflects an unprecedented level of mutual trust and confidence in the future. It will serve as a model for other regions and for the global community." (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State)