The New ECOWAS Action Plan on the Drug Problem in West Africa

Experts and ministers on drugs from the 15 ECOWAS countries met in Abuja, Nigeria on 5th September as part of an on-going effort to address the drug problem and organised crime within the region. The meeting sought to appraise and review the implementation of the current ECOWAS “Regional Action Plan on Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organised Crime and Drug Abuse within West Africa”, and to approve its successor.

Governments within the sub-region have always made efforts to address the drug problem through the adoption of various methods and strategies over the years. ECOWAS initially put in place, adopted and endorsed its Political Declaration and Regional Action Plan on drugs for 2008 to 2011, which was then extended until 2015.

Prior to the ministerial meeting, experts on the subject matter – as well as stakeholders from member states, the African Union (AU), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL and the European Union (EU) – deliberated on strategies to address the drug problem in West Africa, and to agree a new Regional Action Plan for 2016-2021.

The new Action Plan has seen some improvements in terms of the strategies to be adopted by Governments of the sub-region in addressing the global drug problem. For example, it specifically targets high and middle-level drug offenders, while offering alternatives to incarceration for people who use drugs – including treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration services where needed.

ECOWAS continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to addressing the drug problem in the region by facilitating the availability of a wide range of evidence-based treatment options, including opioid substitution therapy. The Action Plan also calls for harm reduction services to be made available, which is a great step taken by ECOWAS. It also includes a commitment to review and collate drug policies across the region.

In addition, ECOWAS has set up the West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU) for the collection and collation of epidemiological data at the regional and national levels. The Network is present in all 15 ECOWAS members states and includes a focus on drug treatment demand indicators and aggregate data on drug supply to inform policies.

The key role of civil society in the fight against drugs cannot be downplayed, not least because civil society organisations often offer services for marginalised groups that most governments are unable to provide themselves. The Action Plan recognises this, and clearly calls for strong partnerships with civil society as well as continued work with the West Africa Commission on Drugs.

In as much as ECOWAS is to be commended for these efforts and positive steps taken, there is still the need to address key issues like the need for decriminalisation (which is distinct from legalisation), proportionality in our sentencing, and government support for proven harm reduction services. These need to be strong calls made by ECOWAS, as people continue to be punished, marginalised and tormented through inhumane criminal justice responses, with lives being ruined just for the possession of small amounts of a drug. 

One other issue that has not been given enough attention in the ECOWAS Action Plan is needed to protect the basic human rights of people who use drugs. Everyone has the right to life, to health and to freedom from persecution: it is no different when it comes to people who use drugs. Yet in most West African countries, these people are considered violent and a threat to society, and are denied access to quality healthcare facilities. ECOWAS needs to urgently address the lack of quality health services available for people who use drugs, and work to make them accessible.

Finally, West African governments should also be providing alternative livelihoods for people who engage in cannabis cultivation in the region. Even though the ECOWAS Action Plan seeks to create employment avenues for people who grow cannabis as a source of livelihood, the on-going criminalisation of subsistent farmers needs to be critically reviewed.

By Maria-Goretti Ane, 

Will Ghana be in breach of the international drug conventions if they decriminalize drugs for personal use?

In my opinion, I do not see Ghana being at risk of violating the conventions by moving towards decriminalization of drugs for personal use. Many are those who fear that Ghana risk being painted by the International  Narcotics Control Board  as they  descended on Switzerland and Uruguay years back when the two nations legalized the narcotic product where it was alleged that, The International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) accused Uruguay of ‘’Pirate attitude.''

Ghana does not stand being painted with same brush – mainly because the INCB itself has significantly changed and updated its narrative on this topic in recent years (and since the “pirate” comments were made by the previous President). INCB is now supportive of harm reduction responses and the removal of criminal sanctions in favor of alternative measures.

The INCB’s role is to monitor and enforce implementation of the First of all, the objective of the three international drug conventions, and the main objective of these conventions is the health and welfare of mankind-centered. Their original intention was to make essential medications available for the relief of pain and the alleviation of suffering, while preventing their non-medical or recreational use protecting the people, particularly the most vulnerable, from the potentially dangerous effects of these controlled drugs. Crucially, and has been repeatedly acknowledged by INCB and the UNODC.

The preamble of the 1961 Convention indicates that the main reason to consider these drugs as dangerous is their capacity to induce “addiction.” The drafters of the 1961 Convention were aware of the risk of those controlled drugs to affected individuals, and, in turn, the social and economic dangers related to addictive behavior.  Regarding possession, purchase or cultivation of controlled drugs for personal consumption, i.e. not for medical or scientific purposes, the 1988 Convention determines that these actions shall be established as criminal offenses. However, this obligation is subject to States parties’ constitutional principles or basic concepts of their legal systems. 

The same Convention also indicates that States parties may provide measures for treatment, education, aftercare, rehabilitation or social reintegration as an alternative to conviction or punishment. Therefore, the Conventions do not require the punishment of possession, purchase or cultivation for personal use. That is why, under the Conventions, de-penalisation of possession, purchase or cultivation of controlled drugs for personal use is possible, under specific circumstances.

It should be noted that decriminalization (de facto): -drug possession for personal use remains illegal (a punishable offense), but the action taken in response to this offense does not necessarily lead to punishment. In fact, a more effective alternative to punishment can be social protection and detoxification services, health care, treatment of dependence and reintegration into society. 

Also, the 1988 Convention indicates that in cases focused on drug dealers, the legislation should identify and divert cases of a minor nature from the criminal justice system. For example, as has  already happened  in many countries, individuals selling a small amount of drugs with the intent to obtain the money to maintain their habit as drug addicts do not receive the same institutional response given to criminals managing drugs as an illicit and profitable business. For these reasons, Article 3, Paragraph 4 (c) of the 1988 Convention states that “in appropriate cases of a minor nature,”  the parties may provide “as alternatives to conviction or punishment” measures such as education, rehabilitation or social reintegration, as well as treatment and aftercare. 

Treatment, as an alternative to prison, is mentioned in many provisions of the Conventions, clearly indicating that individuals affected by drug use disorders do not need to be criminally punished. See Art. 36, para. 1 (b) of the 1961 Convention; Art. 22, para. 2 (b) of the 1971 Convention; Art. 3, para. 4 (b) of the 1988 Convention. So clearly, the conventions in their clear language allows for decriminalization and so Ghana will not be in breach of the said conventions if they do so.

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