Demand for and supply of opiates for medical and scientific needs

Urges all Governments to continue to contribute to the maintenance of a balance between the licit supply of and demand for opiate raw materials for medical and scientific purposes; urges Governments of all producer countries to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, to take effective measures to prevent illicit production, or diversion of opiate raw materials to illicit channels, especially when increasing licit production, and to adopt, after due technical study by the International Narcotics Control Board of the relative merits of different methods, the best method in this respect; urges consumer countries to assess their licit needs for opiate raw materials realistically and to communicate those needs to the International Narcotics Control Board in order to ensure easy supply, and also urges the producer countries concerned and the Board to increase their efforts to monitor the available supply and to ensure sufficient stocks of licit opiate raw materials; requests the Board to continue its efforts in monitoring the implementation of the relevant Economic and Social Council resolutions in full compliance with the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961.

Adopted without vote, 37th plenary meeting

In: Resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council, organizational session for 2002, New York, 14 Jan. and 12-15 Feb. 2002; resumed organizational session for 2002, New York, 29 and 30 April 2002; substantive session of 2002, New York, 1-26 July 2002; resumed substantive session of 2002, New York, 4 and 25 Oct. and 19 Dec. 2002 - E/2002/99 - p. 54-55 - (ESCOR, 2002, Suppl. no. 1).