Most countries of the world are affected by the drug problem and millions of people become victims of this evil. Organized and violent crimes flourished and now international terrorist groups are involved in drug trafficking. The multiple and harmful consequences associated with drug abuse in the work place include deterioration of products, loss of qualified people, accidents, loss of income, and professional disqualification, all of which are costly to the individual, the COMMUNITY and the country. Drug abuse in a wide range of sensitive occupations can result in disasters and threaten the security of nations. ASEAN, as a group of developing countries, can not afford to lose its resources and decrease its national and regional resilience. In order to deal with this global evil, the international community of nations have recognized the need for increased cooperation in the fight against the illicit cultivation, production, traffic and abuse of drugs and narcotics.

At present, counter-offensives of another dimension are needed at the national, regional and international levels to respond to the threat drug abuse posed not only to millions of persons but also to whole population groups and even to societies and economies in some countries. To take up the challenge, under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Malaysia as President and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand as one of the Vice Presidents of the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (ICDAIT), the Conference succeeded in formulating and adopting a Comprehensive Multi-disciplinary Outline (CMO) of future I activities in the control of drug abuse and illicit trafficking and a Declaration which expressed the political commitment of all member states of the UN to do their utmost to combat the drug menace.

At the regional level, the Third Meeting of ASEAN Heads of Government held in Manila, 14- 15 December 1987, reaffirmed ASEAN's strong resolve in eradicating the scourge of drug abuse and illicit trafficking which threatens the fabric of its societies and debilitates its people. The 11TH Meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD) held in Singapore, 5 - 8 April 1988 formulated and adopted a long-term programme of action as follow-up to the ICDAIT and the Third Meeting of ASEAN Heads of Government mentioned above. In addition to the above efforts, several ASEAN projects were successfully implemented.

With financial assistance from the USA, the Workshop on ASEAN Network of Parent's Movement against Drug Abuse was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 1987. Two other projects funded by UNDP, covering narcotics law enforcement training and training course for drug rehabilitation professionals that include a think tank meeting of ASEAN top decision makers on the re- habilitation of drug dependents, were held in Bangkok, Thailand, November 1987, and in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, September 1987 respectively. The second training course for narco- dogs and handlers funded by New Zealand, was held in Wellington, 25 January - 11 March 1988. Two experts from Britain were sent by the EC to assess the training need and training facilities of ASEAN member countries, to enable EC to formulate its assistance to ASEAN.

Another expert was also sent by the EEC to discuss and observe the laboratories for drugs analysis of ASEAN member countries in the frame- work of preparing EC's assistance to the project on the ASEAN Research and Training Center for the Detection of Drugs of Abuse in Body Fluids. The EC had modified the project proposal. Pursuant to the decision of the 11th ASOD Meeting, a revised project proposal will be submitted to EC for consideration.

The following project proposals were submitted to dialogue partners for consideration: ASEAN Training for Trainers in Preventive Drug Education was submitted to Canada; The Training Programme for ASEAN Youth in Drug Abuse Prevention Activities and An Observation Tour on Custom Enforcement in Australia, were submitted to Australia. Strengthening ASEAN Preventive Drug Information Programme was submitted to the USA.

With regard to the project proposal on the Training of Native Dogs in Narcotics Detection and their Handlers, the UNDP suggested changing the programme into a wider scope of narcotics detection training, and proposed a visit of a consultancy mission to the ASEAN member countries to assess the overall training needs of ASEAN in narcotics detection training. At the national level, all ASEAN member countries have stepped up their counter measures to fight drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

For more information, please refer to the project details