Griffin McEvoy, Mattawan High School
Iran
Special Political Committee(SPECPOL): International Drug Trade
The international drug trade is a humongous issue affecting every country worldwide. Many groups from a variety of different countries have attempted to control and manage where illegal and legal drugs end up globally. The United Nations is no different with their International Drug Trade efforts. Illegal drug policies have been passed, but still it is extremely difficult, nearly impossible, to truly understand where drugs, illegal and legal, are distributed. This problem is as apparent, if not more, today than ever due to the many advancements in worldwide communications and transportation. As a committee, we need to find a way to continue our fight against illegal drug trade while still allowing legal drugs to be efficiently given to places in need.
Iran has a very large drug problem that roots back to centuries ago. In Iran, drugs have an influence in our society, economy, and even politics. In the 19th century, Iran became addicted to opiods due to the expansion of the Far Eastern market. Opiates were used for domestic consumption, and in the early 20th century we passed regulations on the distribution of opioids, creating punishments for those who abused them. These laws were largely ineffective. We then tried banning opioids as a whole, but this ultimately encourage smugglers to use this opportunity for financial gain. As of now, one of Iran’s neighbors, Afghanistan, is the leading producer of drugs such as opium, which is in high demand in my country. Our ban on opiates has not only given smugglers a high paying job, but it has also increased the use of other illegal substances such as heroin. Heroin consumption in Iran has skyrocketed, and as time goes on it will only grow exponentially higher.
A good way to fight illegal drug trade is not only focusing on destroying those who supply drugs, but also getting rid of the need for them in the first place. To fight future and current addiction, we need to encourage and fund the many effective organizations who lead anti-drug/addiction agendas as well as establish an international system that regulates and watches the movement of illegal substances. With these searches, we must not affect the medicinal drugs that are needed throughout the world. With regulation of illegal substances comes the slowing of legal substance distribution. Finding a way to both combat addiction and distribution of illegal substances while still leaving the distribution of legal substances alone is needed so sick people can become healthy, and addicts can become sober.
- Griffin McEvoy
