<\/strong><\/p>\n Antonio Maria Costa<\/span><\/strong>, Executive Director of UNODC refused criticisms coming from civil society (or as he put it the “pro-drug lobby”) concerning the effectiveness of UN measures aiming to eliminate or significantly reduce drug cultivation, trafficking and use until 2008. He said there was a progress since 2003 and the present “balanced approach is most appropriate” to achieve the goals set in the 1998 action plan. He denied that legalization can lead to curb crime and emphasized that there is no choice for governments between health and security. Mr. Costa called UNODC the “counter-narcotic conscience of the world,” and said only political capital is missing behind its efforts. He pointed out that the spread of HIV\/AIDS, the lack of road testing and the rise of raves are three major problems challenging the international narcotic control system. Notwithstanding, his speech did not answer the crucial questions about HIV\/AIDS prevention among injecting drug users. He countered the issue of harm reduction saying that all UNODC activities are indeed harm reduction activities, for instance to provide alternative crops for farmers in the third world. According to Mr. Costa abstinence is the best form to tackle the HIV\/AIDS problem and he claimed drug users cannot think rationally and act responsibly, so the only way to reduce the risks of HIV transmission is to diminish drug phenomena as such. He talked much more about raves, calling them “drug festivals” where young people dance several hours and than drive their cars under the influence of drugs, causing road accidents. The UN building in Vienna (photo: Marek Zygadlo)<\/span><\/strong><\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n John Walters<\/span><\/strong>, head of ONDCP did not address the issue of syringe exchange directly as several NGOs expected. His speech was rather an optimistic overview of American drug policy with several referrals to increasing funds to treat drug addiction and to decreasing drug use among adolescents. He claimed that addiction is a “fundamental disease of the brain caused by repeated drug use according to best science.” This “deadly disease” is a preventable condition and active drug users should be restored to community. He stated that effective drug treatment services and drug testing in schools are working interventions to curb the disease of addiction and said using the criminal system to provide alternative treatment for drug users instead of imprisonment is “extremely successful intervention” that saves lives. He called delegated of the CND to keep existing unity in the battle against narco-terrorists and implement the three UN conventions, which are accepted by the overwhelming majority of states. He rejected injecting rooms and heroine maintenance programs because they facilitate drug use and emphasized that strict anti-narcotic measures are adequate responses to HIV\/AIDS epidemic. The “drug czar” claimed <\/span> Thematic Debate on HIV\/AIDS Peter Piot, director of the UNAIDS chaired the thematic debate on HIV\/AIDS. He stressed the importance of growing feminization of the HIV\/AIDS epidemic (in the occasion of the International Women’s Day). There is a rapid growth of new infections if HIV\/AIDS enters an IDU community, he said. It is not easy but possible to stop the epidemic, though only really comprehensive strategies work. Prevention of drug use is the number one priority, but it is important to prevent the transmission of HIV\/AIDS among active drug users, with providing them access to treatment, substitution therapy, voluntary testing, counselling, access to clean syringes and ARV. There is a need for a dialogue between the world of drug control and the world of HIV prevention, which is missing in many countries. He expressed his hopes that UNODC will establish this dialogue in the international level as the donor of UNAIDS this year. substitution therapy as effective tools. Even if there is a controversy around providing injecting equipment, there is relatively robust evidence that these measures are effective. As the representative pointed out, WHO and INCB also acknowledged this. The prevalence of HCV is worryingly high in <\/span> measures should be implemented. Peter Sarosi (HCLU) and Raminta Stuikyte (CEEHRN) during break (photo: Marek Zygadlo)<\/strong><\/span><\/font><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/font><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/font><\/font><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n The delegate of <\/span> population is covered by HR programs. These drug users do not share injection equipment any more and there is a universal access to ARV. In addition, there are prevention campaigns in schools organized in partnership with the Ministry of Education, and harm reduction trainings have been established in primary health care. The representative of the <\/span> The delegate of <\/span> HIV\/AIDS forced to rethink the drug policy of <\/span>![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/drogriporter\/cnda1.jpg\")
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