Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jun 2005
Source: Mirror, The (UK)
Copyright: 2005 The Mirror
Contact:  http://www.mirror.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1161
Author: Robert Stansfield

WAR ON DRUGS LATEST, THE DRUGS ARE WINNING

Illegal drugs were taken by 15 million more people last year as users
around the world reached 200 million, it was revealed yesterday.

And despite many governments declaring war on drugs, dealers are
raking in around ?177billion - greater than the economic output of 90
per cent of nations.

Cannabis is the most common drug - smoked by 60 million.

Cocaine use was said to be dropping in Europe and North America but 14
million were still hooked. Sixteen million took opium and, of these,
10.5 million used heroin, said the United Nations' annual drugs report.

Afghanistan was the source of 87 per cent of illegal opium and Shadow
Foreign Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "Tony Blair promised to deal with
opium production after the Taliban were overthrown.

"But four years later it has just got worse and worse."

This failure to halt supplies would "result in more addiction and
death on British streets".
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