Commissioner Laveist says Caribbean and St. Maarten caught in the crossfire
Commissioner responsible for Social & Youth Affairs Louie Laveist, on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Tuesday June 26, says the Caribbean and St. Maarten in particular is caught in the crossfire between the worldâ??s biggest suppliers and consumers of cocaine.
Countries in the Caribbean are suffering the consequences of the international drug trade. Crime is stifling economies, and where violent crime exists, socio-economic development lags and democracy is undermined.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), drug traffickers looking to feed Europeâ??s unprecedented appetite for cocaine have exploited routes through the Caribbean. Annual cocaine use has increased markedly in many European countries in recent years. Combined with the Euroâ??s advance against the dollar, this provides yet another incentive for traffickers.
This yearâ??s theme of the UNODC is, "Do drugs control your life? Your life. Your community. No place for drugs."
Commissioner Laveist commends the recent successes of law enforcement agencies in the apprehension of persons and confiscation of illegal drugs.
The latest statistics from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates indicate that 200 million people, or five per cent of the global population age 15-64, are using drugs worldwide. Cannabis-marijuana, hashish, and THC, leads by far with 162 million users.
ATS-amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, methcathinone, follow with 35 million users. Globally, an estimated 16 million people use opiates â??opium, morphine, heroin, synthetic opiates- and some 13 million people use cocaine.
"No individual, family or community is safe where illicit drugs take control. Drugs may control the body and mind of individual consumers, the drug crop and drug cartels may control farmers, illicit trafficking and crime may control communities.
"I appeal to our community to work with our law enforcement agencies by providing them with information that would result in the apprehension of drug dealers and the confiscation of drugs. I also commend those who are working to make a change in our community by offering anti-drug campaigns. Everyone has a role to play and our combined efforts and resolve can reduce the damage done by drugs to individuals, their loved ones and to our communities," Commissioner responsible for Social & Youth Affairs Louie Laveist told the Government Information Service (GIS) on Thursday.