The South African Police Service refuted on Wednesday statements by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that the country is one of the largest cannabis (dagga) producers in Africa.
”How can this be when Morocco has 133 000ha of dagga and we only have 1 200ha?” asked George Mason of the organised crime unit’s narcotics division.
In an annual drug report released by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) in Pretoria on Wednesday, the UN said Southern Africa continues to be a main source of cannabis in Africa.
”The major producers are South Africa, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique,” the report states.
But Chantel Marais, national programme officer for the UN Office for Drug and Crime Prevention said: ”Mason is probably right and the UN would have to defer to him.
”Our figures are not always the most current and some refer back to 2002.”
Following the printing of the report, information has come to light that backs Mason’s views, she added.
Mason and Marais agreed the drought currently devastating the farming sector has had a negative impact on dagga exports from South Africa.
”It may not have impacted as badly on dagga as it has on maize production but it [the drought] has had an effect,” said Marais.
She added South Africa is viewed globally as one of the best quality dagga producers. Its crop is a sought-after item.
The INCB and local drug fighting agencies also underlined the problem Ecstasy is creating in Southern Africa.
”A new trend appears to be the increasing local manufacturing of the drug,” said the UN report. The first illicit laboratory was found in South Africa in 1996 but by 2001, six laboratories had been found and closed.
The INCB’s report criticised governments throughout the world for not spending enough money in the right areas.
While lots of money is being spent on drug enforcement, governments do not spend enough on curbing drug demand and drug treatment, it said.
”If there is no demand for the drugs then sales won’t be a problem,” said Thomas Zeindl-Cronin, INCB programme manager.
”Only with the introduction of a comprehensive demand reduction programme will we see real progress being made to address the multiple problems that illicit drugs inflict on the communities.”
The INCB reported that South Africa has made good gains in fighting drugs. The country dismantled 30 laboratories for processing methcathinone (seen as a safe alternative to cocaine) in 2003 and 2002.
The INCB also noted work done by the Southern African Development Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Abuse, which has laid the basis for regular collation and provision of data on drug abuse.
A total of 330 judges, magistrates, investigators and prosecutors have been trained in drug-related casework during 2001/02 as part of the programme.
The board predicted that 720 judicial officials from 19 countries in the region will have been trained by the end of 2004. — Sapa