Length paragraphs project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Length paragraphs project - Essay Example On the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1998), the UN also celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Vienna Convention on Drug Trafficking, and reaffirmed the resolve to intensify international efforts to eradicate this evil. This paper attempts to briefly examine the impact of laws and policies in this ongoing war, and to suggest possible changes and measures in order to accelerate the pace of international efforts in curbing the drugs menace. The war against drugs has assumed global dimensions, and almost resembles the crusades. The problem has apparently assumed alarming proportions primarily due to years of inaction by several governments, apart from the lack of clear policies, laws, and implementing machinery relating to drugs. Increasing drug use as such is not seen as the major culprit in compounding the crisis. It is estimated that in the U.S. alone, illegal drug trafficking accounts for over 8% of international trade revenues, totaling US$400 billion annually (Riley, 2001). Among other things, the evils propagated by the mushrooming drug industry include the following: â€Å"The need for an integrated approach to drug control is now well accepted, and was endorsed by the international community with the establishment in 1990 of the UN’s Global Program of Action† (Knaack, 1995, p. 349). This Program set out to implement â€Å"balanced strategies that are comprehensive and multidisciplinary in scope† and targeted at â€Å"combating all aspects of drug abuse and illicit trafficking† (1995), apart from tackling certain other related problems, such as: Unless tougher, more consistent and better-organized international action can be mounted against trafficking, we will continue to pour tens of thousands of billions of dollars into the ‘war against drugs’ without rooting out the evil. The potential profits are so enormous that major traffickers will always have an interest in stimulating demand and