Topic: Escalating Violence in the International Drug Trade
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Delegate Name: Jacob Schacht
School: Mattawan High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Bosnia and Herzegovina position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
The international drug trade has been successful in distributing dangerous narcotics to almost every part of the world. Tensions have arisen between several governments and between governments and independent organizations, like drug cartels. Violence has escalated in spots around the world which involve the deaths of innocent civilians.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, like various other nations, has drug trafficking and drug use problems amongst its citizens, particularly with the drugs heroine and cannabis. Western Europe has a high demand for drugs making the Balkan Peninsula a major location for harmful drug substances to make their way to Western Europe typically from production centers in Asia. Bosnia is experiencing a time of high unemployment which causes many of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens to use drugs. A survey conducted by UNICEF in 2007, found that 80% of participating subjects who were labeled injecting drug users stated that they were unemployed. Though many drugs headed to Western Europe wind up in Bosnia, due in part to the actions of Bosnia and other neighboring European countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina does not experience very much violence related to drug trafficking.
Bosnia and Herzegovina provides many health centers that offer counseling and treatment for drug users. Bosnia and Herzegovina has school prevention programs and non-governmental organizations at work amongst the schools as well. The problem of drug abuse is also recognized in the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina and governmental agencies work on implementing the law to reduce drug demand. Although outside of drug crimes and offenses, punishable by prison time, Bosnia and Herzegovina has little major drug related violence.
To solve the increase of drug violence, Bosnia and Herzegovina suggests trade sanctions against known major drug producing countries to have said countries decrease drug activity. Either way, Bosnia and Herzegovina is willing to talk and cooperate with their fellow European nations and/or other allies.
