Romania Is A Transit Country On Heroin Traffic Route - UN Report

Drug consumption is low among Romanian youths, but the country is part of the heroin transit route, according to 2009's World Drug Report published Wednesday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The report provides global information on drug consumption and traffic, on the main "exporting" countries and necessary measures in the fight against these threats to human health, pointing out the fact that world cocaine, opium and cannabis markets are on the decline, while production of synthetic drugs is on the rise, especially in developed countries.

According to the report, the main narcotics which are a threat today are opiates (largely produced in Afghanistan), cocaine (imported from South American countries), cannabis and synthetic drugs or amphetamines such as Ecstasy.

As regards Europe, the report states that there is a regional decline or stabilization of drug trafficking and consumption, but also a rise in the consumption and trafficking of synthetic drugs, especially in western countries.

According to the UNODC, in 2007 between 172 and 250 million people bought illegal drugs at least once, and between 18 and 38 million people aged 15-64 are "problematic drug consumers," addicts, some of them attending public treatment programs.

UNODC states that last year, Romania did not contribute to the rising consumption of opium like other countries in the region, such as Albania, Belarus, Croatia or Moldova, but it is considered a transit state on the heroin traffic route.

The World Drug Report for 2009 does not place Romania among the states with a high consumption or traffic of narcotic substances. The report indicates that 93% of the total number of Romanian drug users were under treatment for opiate addiction, while only 6.3% were under treatment for cannabis consumption and 0.06% for cocaine consumption. Overall, 356,188 people were reportedly treated for addiction in 2007.

Mediafax