Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, who attended the 120th Session of the UN International Narcotics Control Board in Vienna, said that this year, a record level of 9 thousand tons of opium will be produced in Afghanistan due to the 63% increase in poppy cultivated land compared to 2016, which poses a global risk.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, "This record will cause almost twice as much heroin to pass through the Balkan Road, which is the main route for transporting heroin to European countries, through Turkey compared to the previous year. Security forces, especially in Iran and Turkey, need to take measures in line with possible developments."
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University, Director of the Institute of Addiction and Forensic Sciences and Member of the United Nations International Drug Control Board (INCB), gave information about the 120th Session of the International Drug Control Board held in Vienna.
Record production in Afghanistan discussed
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that the 120th Session of the International Narcotics Control Board lasted for three weeks between October 31 and November 17, 2017 and emphasized that the board primarily drew the attention of UN member states to the developments in Afghanistan.
Shipment will double, measures must be taken
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that this year, due to the 63% increase in poppy cultivated land in Afghanistan from 127 thousand hectares to 328 thousand hectares compared to 2016, a record level of 9 thousand tons of opium will be produced, which will pose many global risks:
"As is known, the raw material of heroin is opium. This frightening record will not only lead to more heroin being available in the illegal markets of Afghanistan and neighboring countries, more people becoming addicted, increased violence, instability and bribery, and more income for terrorist groups that carry out their global operations with drug money. It will cause almost twice as much heroin to pass through the Balkan Route, the main route through which heroin is transported to European countries, i.e. through Turkey, compared to the previous year. Therefore, security forces, particularly in Iran and Turkey, need to take precautions in line with possible developments. In addition, the surplus of heroin in the market will lead to a decrease in its price, so more people will use heroin worldwide, and health problems and social problems will increase."
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that another problem that the Board discussed was the cultivation and/or distribution of cannabis, i.e. cannabis, for non-medical purposes, which has been observed in some countries or states, and said: "The Board reiterated that these practices related to cannabis are prohibited according to Article 4 (c) of the 1961 TEK Convention, and according to the convention, cannabis can only be used for medical and scientific purposes, just like other controlled substances such as morphine and cocaine."
World report to be published in March 2018
The Board, which evaluates and approves the compliance of 190 countries of the world with international conventions in the fight against the supply and demand of drugs during the year, as well as the import and export of controlled chemicals, and the poppy cultivation areas requested by member countries, continued its work on the world report to be published in March 2018.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that in addition to the right to treatment of drug addicts in accordance with human rights, illegal internet pharmacies, new psychoactive substances introduced to the market, problems faced by passengers carrying medicines containing controlled substances at customs, disproportionate sentences given to drug offenders, even execution without trial, and the public health crisis caused by legal fentanyl, a synthetic opioid painkiller, and illegal fentanyl derivatives, which caused the deaths of twenty thousand people in the USA alone in 2017, were among the issues examined.
The Board also heard from the heads of Interpol, the World Customs Union, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Commission on Drugs and received information about the activities of 2017.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy also attended the meeting in Geneva
In addition to these activities, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, who is also the Chair of the Board's Financial and Administrative Affairs Committee, represented the Board at the 39th meeting of the World Health Organization's Committee of Experts on Substance Abuse held in Geneva on November 6-9.
The next meeting of the International Drug Control Board will be held in Vienna in February 2018.