February 2007, id21 insights health, Issue #10

Tackling drugs to reduce poverty

The United Nations Office of Drug Control claimed in 2006 that 'Drug control is working and the world drug problem is being contained'. Yet the scale and diversity of the illicit global drug trade has increased in the last decade, as have rates of drug use in most countries.

Other articles in this issue:

Development in a drugs environment

Many illicit drug growers are poor, vulnerable to unfair laws and arrangements and exploited by criminals and corrupt officials. However, many development programmes still ignore their plight. How can policymakers and practitioners help these forgotten people?

Growing cannabis in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

It is estimated that the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean, with a population of just over 100,000, has more than 2,500 cannabis cultivators, mainly in the foothills of La Soufrière Volcano. After the demise of the banana economy in the early 21st Century, marijuana has become a safety net for many islanders.

The khat industry at full capacity in eastern Africa

Khat (Catha edulis), a plant found across much of highland eastern Africa, is chewed for its stimulant and euphoric qualities. It is legal in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda, but is illegal in Tanzania. It is imported into Somalia daily, but has been blamed for fuelling the war and chaos there.

Uneven development stimulates drug consumption in South-East Asia

United Nations-supported development policies have focused on eradicating the production and trade of illicit drugs in South-East Asia. However, tensions between development initiatives and those seeking to control the trade have created changing patterns of drug consumption.

Pushing tobacco control up the development agenda

Tobacco kills around 5 million people each year and remains the leading cause of preventable death worldwide.

Alcohol production and use in Africa

Socio-economic changes have influenced an increase in alcohol consumption in Africa during the last half of the 20th century. Public health problems linked to alcohol have also risen. How has alcohol consumption in Africa changed and what have been its effects?

Reducing drug demand in Afghanistan

After 25 years of conflict and displacement, many Afghans now use a wide range of drugs, including alcohol, opium and tranquillisers, to cope with the stress of daily life.

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Barbara McPake, Director of the Institute for International Health and Development, Queen Margaret University College, provided academic advice for this issue: BMcPake@qmuc.ac.uk

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