Amphetamine Use Increases In East
Demand for synthetic drugs such as amphetamines and Ecstasy is growing in Asia and spreading to Middle East markets, the U.N. reported Tuesday.
Drug trafficking and manufacturing is also growing more refined. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime noted in a 2008 assessment that in addition to the increasing sophistication, local and international crime groups are growing in size.
While amphetamine use is largely used for recreational purposes in the United States, in faster developing countries the drugs are used for stamina and to allow factory workers to work longer hours and stay awake.
"The problem has shifted to new markets over the past few years," the U.N. report says.
Asia still dominates in use, with practically half the countries reporting boosts in methamphetamine use. However, the most remarkable shift in drug use is in the Middle East, where confiscations of amphetamine accounted for a overwhelming 25 percent of the global total in 2005-2006, from only 1% a mere four years earlier.
"A decade ago, synthetic drugs were a cottage industry," said Costa, pointing to the current seizures of enormous surreptitious labs. "Now they are big business, controlled by organized crime syndicates that are involved in all phases of this illicit trade, from smuggling precursor chemicals to manufacturing the drugs and trafficking."
Europe continues to be the primary source of drug trafficking to international locations, but its impact on the drug world is losing ground. Manufacturers are shifting to areas closer to their homes, the U.N. said.
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Image Caption: Ecstacy pills (Courtesy US Drug Enforcement Administration)
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