Mexico: Graph of consumption of opiates and cocaine has gone up in past decade. There are incidences of cartel violence in Mexico. The western part of Africa has become hub of cocaine trafficking. As per high powered panel of former state heads and the officials of UN, it is the high time if the governments find new ways to deal with the problem of drugs in the world.

The former president of Brazil Fernando henrick has said drug war is a failure.  He told this on Thursday at the unveiling of report by global commission on policy of drugs. Alongwith him, the commission also includes former president of Columbia, Cesar geviria.  It also includes former Mexican president and also former US secretary of state. Former secretary general of UN Kofi Annan and former UN human rights commissioner also play a part.

As per world report, estimated drug users in the world are around 250 million. According to estimates of UN, all cannot be treated as criminals.  Countries rely on repression and end up in the higher rates of transmission of HIV, says the commission.  There are lower rates of HIV among people who use drugs through injections.

The drug traffic is considered illegal in all areas and it depends of the peoples pyramid.  If the person goes for small players in the drug trade, it consumes many policy resources without disruption of supply.

The report said, “We should not treat all those arrested for trafficking as equally culpable–many are coerced into their actions, or are driven to desperate measures through their own addiction or economic situation.” Suppliers have to be provided with alternative livelihoods and it is more effective process compared to destroying poppy farmers and coca.

“Legalization remains a non-starter in the Obama administration because research shows that illegal drug use is associated with voluntary treatment admissions, fatal drugged driving accidents, mental illness, and emergency room admissions.”

The Mexican government statement reads:

Taking partial measures are insufficient and inefficient because it is a transnational phenomenon, with an international market structure that needs to be analyzed in a much broader context than in a single country.”
“Increasing the consumption of drugs in major markets, without measures that impact the market and the supply chain, generates greater economic incentives for criminals.”

“Legalization won’t stop organized crime, its turf wars or its violence. Nor will it strengthen our security institutions and law enforcement. To equate organized crime in Mexico with drug trafficking is to forget that organized crime commits other offences such as kidnapping, extortion and robbery.”