WORLD DRUG PROBLEMS BLAMED ON USERS

UNITED NATIONS--Despite President Clinton's appeal to avoid "pointing
fingers," leaders of the world's drug-producing -- nations have not
hesitated to blame drug users for the global narcotics problem. "The
illicit drug trade is demand-driven," Prime Minister Denzil Douglas of the
tiny Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis told the U.N. General
Assembly's special session on drugs Monday. "How can we truly expect small,
poor countries such as mine to defeat the wealthy drug lords if the rich
countries, with their wealth of resources, are unsuccessful in limiting the
demand," he said.

In his opening speech to the three-day conference, President Clinton urged
world leaders to avoid blaming each other as they devise new, coordinated
strategies in the fight against drugs.

"Pointing fingers is distracting," Clinton said. "It does not dismantle a
single cartel, help a single addict, prevent a single child from trying -and
perhaps dying from -heroin."

He said that the lines separating countries that supply drugs, transport
drugs and consume drugs "are increasingly blurred. Drugs are every nation's
problem."

But Latin American countries, which account for most of the world's supply
of cocaine, say they need international aid to help stem the production of
illegal drugs.

"We need resources, and it must come from the international community,"
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori told reporters as he arrived for the
opening session.

"And I think this will consolidate the reduction of production -it might in
the Peruvian case -the production of cocoa leaves."

President Hugo Banzer of Bolivia said his government was committed to
eradicating illegal production of cocoa, which is used to produce cocaine.

But Banzer said the program will cost $952 million over five years,
including $700 to provide alternative crops and markets for the 35,000
Bolivian families whose livelihood comes from the illegal crop.

He appealed to the United States and other wealthy countries to pick up 85
percent of the cost of the program, reminding them that "each dollar we
devote to combating drug trafficking has painful social costs."

U.N. officials estimate the annual bill would come to $250 million for 10 years.

Copyright Los Angeles Times

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett