Suchergebnisse

I A Survey of the History of Drug-Use and Early Moves Towards International Control -- 1: Social and Cultural Aspects of Drug-Use and Historical Origins of the Use of Opium -- 2: International Action for the Control of Trade and Traffic in Drugs between 1909 and 1919 -- II International Action for the Control of Trade and Traffic in Drugs between 1920 and 1944 -- 3: The Organizational and Functional Framework as Devised by the League of Nations for the Purpose of Controlling the Manufacture of, and Trade and Traffic in, Drugs -- 4: An Examination of the Agreements and Conventions on Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs Concluded between 1920 and 1944 -- III The Structure and Methods of International Drug Control through the United Nations -- 5: The Organizational Framework of the United Nations in Relation to the Control of Drugs -- 6: An Examination of the Drug Protocols Concluded During the UN Period (Prior to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961) -- 7: An Examination of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 -- 8: Limitation on Cultivation -- 9: Limitation on the Production of Opium -- 10: Manufacture and Importation of Drugs: Limitation Thereof -- 11: Control of Illicit Trade and Traffic in Narcotic Drugs -- 12: An Examination of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 -- IV Contributions of Some of the Inter-Governmental and International Non-Governmental Organizations Concerned with the Eradication of Illicit Trade and Traffic in Narcotic Drugs -- 13: The Organization and Functions of Interpol and the Ingos in the Control of the Drug-Trade -- Conclusions -- League of Nations Documents -- United Nations Documents -- World Health Organization Technical Report Series -- Miscellaneous Documents -- Table of Cases -- Appendices.

In this paper, control policies refer to governmental strategies aimed at influencing the availability of alcohol and drugs. The Nordic countries have a long tradition of control policy which has also had an impact internationally. Central characteristics of the developement of the control of alcohol, narcotics and psychotropics are described. Attention is paid especially to similarities and differences between the Nordic countries. Denmark differs most from the other Nordic countries and the differences are clearest in alcohol control. In Finland, Norway and Sweden a tendency toward more stringent alcohol control has recently emerged after an era of liberalization in the 50's and 60's. Narcotics policy is characterized by support for existing international agreements regarding criminal-political measures. As to psychotropics, no clear-cut control policy has so far been developed.

While drug control laws tend to reduce the incidence of drug use, their enforcement is not without cost to society. Among the most obvious costs is the development of black markets in drugs and the criminalization of users. Modest control laws can substantially reduce drug use without incurring serious social costs. However, increasing the severity of control laws adds less and less to the benefits achieved and more and more to the costs to society. Ultimately the costs outweigh the benefits. We should aim for optimum levels of control by weighing both the benefits and costs of our drug control laws.