The illegal drug trade touches millions of lives in both developed and developing countries. Its most negative impact is concentrated on the most disadvantaged of our societies. The UN estimates that some 180 million people worldwide — 4.2 per cent of people aged 15 years and above — were consuming drugs in the late 1990s.

　　Economic reliance on the drug trade and drug addiction leaves many individuals open to exploitation by criminals and criminal organizations, and threatens the health of men, women and children, the rule of law, and ultimately, the vitality and strength of all our communities. However, for the first time in recent history, global production of drugs such as heroin and cocaine is no longer growing, but shows signs of stabilization and even decline. This makes combined efforts an increasingly viable option to achieve the targets set out in the resolution of the 1998 UN Special Session which aim at a substantial reduction if not elimination of drug production by the year 2008. Progress is also being reported from the demand side, where there are signs of stabilization or even decline in some of the main markets.