An Inauspicious Start to the UNODC Conference

The agenda of the council risks pointing the world in the wrong direction by emphasising tough measures against drug smuggling.

Bryan Watt | The Wire

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Drug trafficking is a very serious problem, with nearly 300 million people being drug users. The UNODC has also realised the seriousness of its problems, so from 9 to 12 December 2025, more than a dozen countries in the UNODC will begin debating on the issue of addressing the drug problem, particularly narcoterrorism, where terrorists seek to exploit drugs as their primary

stream of income. As debate started, each country stressed their opposition to narcoterrorism and the need for international cooperation, and the delegates moved on to debate various methods to secure country borders against the drug trade.

India, like many other countries, is also facing a drug crisis. Not only is India a popular smuggling route for drugs, but an increasingly large proportion of India’s youth are also becoming addicted to drugs. However, Modi insists on waging a war on drugs, proposing an initiative titled “Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus”, despite the fact that the war on drugs is destructive and ineffective in countering drugs’ influence. More must be done on managing the demand for drugs, rather than a single-minded desire to stop the supply and incarcerate every drug abuser.

Unfortunately, UNODC’s focus for this conference gives too little focus to peaceful measures to deal with the problem of drugs. The conference has chosen to talk about tackling narcoterrorism at its core and how weak border security exacerbates the drug problem, framing the drug crisis as a security problem rather than a health and social problem. However, the conference should

recognise the problem of insufficient community help programmes, recognising that these programmes are essential in preventing drug abuse within societies. After all, even if the conference ends with a non-binding statement calling upon nations to provide funds and resources to such programmes, help programmes around the world will be heartened to hear that their perspectives are being heard and their programmes will be supported.

To give an example of a help programme that could benefit from the discussions, there is NashaMukt Bharat Abhyaan. Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is a government initiative which aims to reduce drug abuse levels in India. In order to do so, the programme has established many Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs) and has set up Community Peer-led Intervention (CPLI) work for preventive education and community outreach with the help of youth volunteers. Among the benefits this programme could receive are more funding for its activities as a result of the debates within the council chambers.

The lack of sustained assistance from the participating countries for the development of community help programmes is not a good sign for anti-drug efforts. Much of the debate has been focused on how to stop narcoterrorists in their tracks, such as increasing border security and stopping illicit funds. By failing to recognise the effect that community help programmes have

on reducing drug abuse, countries fail to recognise that the crisis of drugs is not just a one-dimensional problem of preventing the supply of drugs, but a more complex problem that encompasses governments and communities alike.

However, there are still reasons to be optimistic. A few delegates have stressed the need for community rehabilitation, in addition to addressing narcoterrorism in their home country. The delegate of Bolivia, in particular, has elaborated on the ineffectiveness of seeking “complete elaboration” of narcoterrorism by highlighting how it spreads needless violence. Hence, it is hopeful that the delegates present in the council will commit to addressing the barriers preventing the success of community help programmes, reducing drug abuse. Unfortunately, council debate has been limited to border security, with help programmes being sidelined. As the delegate of Lithuania stated in a short interview, while the problem of supporting community help programmes could be brought up in future council sessions, there are “no guarantees” whether the topic will be brought up in council.

Bibliography

1. United Nations. “Drugs | United Nations,” n.d. https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/drugs.

2. Krishnan, Murali. “How India Became a Methamphetamine, Cocaine Hub.” Dw.Com, January 6, 2025. https://www.dw.com/en/how-india-became-a-methamphetamine-and-cocaine-hub/a-71210919.

3. DH Web Desk. “G20 Summit | From Focus on Healthcare to War on Drugs: PM Modi Proposes Six Big Initiatives.” Deccan Herald, November 23, 2025. https://www.deccanherald.com/india/g20-summit-from-focus-on-healthcare-to-war-on-drugs-pm-modi-proposes-six-big-initiatives-3807537#2.

4. Getchell, Michelle. “The Enduring Legacy of Reagan’s Drug War in Latin America.” War on the Rocks, December 20, 2018. https://warontherocks.com/2018/12/the-enduring-legacy-of-reagans-drug-war-in-latin-america/.

5. “About Us | Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan,” n.d. https://nmba.dosje.gov.in/content/about-us.

6. “Home | Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan,” n.d. https://nmba.dosje.gov.in/.