HARDSHIPS MAY PUSH PEOPLE INTO MAKING DRUGS

HARDSHIPS MAY PUSH PEOPLE INTO MAKING DRUGS FOR A LIVING: UNODC

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in its 2020 world drug report, has highlighted a wide range of possible consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on illegal drug production, supply and consumption

Expressed concern over the adverse impact of the economic hardship caused by the pandemic. This could lead to an increase in the number of people resorting of illicit activities linked to drugs to make a living 

Some countries, such as Italy, the Niger and countries in central Asia, have experienced sharp decrease in drug seizures, amid reports that drug traffickers have diverted their attention to other illegal activities, including cyber crime and trafficking in falsified medicine       

Other countries, including Morocco and Iran have reported huge drug seizures, indicating large scale drug trafficking, while some have reported an increase in interdiction resulting from increased controls 

A recent uptick in heroin seizures in the Indian Ocean could be interpreted as an indication of an increase in the use of maritime routes for trafficking heroin 

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations Office at Vienna

Established in 1997 

Member of the United Nations Development Group and was renamed the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2002 

Headquarters in Vienna (Austria), with 21 field offices and two liaison offices in Brussels and in New York City

United Nations Secretary-General appoints the agency's Executive Director

The Convention is a legally binding instrument that entered into force on 29 September 2003, through which States parties commit to taking a series of measures against transnational organized crime

In 2003, the United Nations adopted the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The Convention came into force in December 2005 

UNODC, as the custodian of UNCAC, is also one of the main initiators of the establishment of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), whose main function is to, among other things, facilitate more effective implementation of the UNCAC

Three drugs related treaties that guide UNODC's drug related programs. These are: The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol ; the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988

UNODC incorporates the secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)

UNODC assist the UN in better addressing a coordinated, comprehensive response to the interrelated issues of illicit trafficking in and abuse of drugs, crime prevention and criminal justice, international terrorism, and political corruption

The World Drug Report is a yearly publication that presents a comprehensive assessment of the international drug problem 

The Report, based on data and estimates collected or prepared by Governments, UNODC and other international institutions, attempts to identify trends in the evolution of global illicit drug markets 

On 26 June every year, UNODC marks the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

On 9 December every year, UNODC commemorates the International Anti-Corruption Day.