Feasibility Study on Opium Licensing in Afghanistan for the

6,71

MB

Production of Morphine and Other Essential Medicines

670

stron

6279

ID

Senlis Council

2005

rok

CONTENTS

List of academic partners and contributions page 1

Definitions & Glossary – Use of terms 13

Executive Summary 21

Introduction 27

PART I – THE GLOBAL OPIUM-FOR-MEDICINE MARKET

1 Pharmacological aspects of the opium poppy 31

Professor Peter Facchini, University of Calgary, Canada

Jill Hagel, MSc, University of Calgary, Canada

Dr Professor Osman Babury, University of Kabul, Afghanistan

Introduction

1 Description of opioid-bearing poppy species

1.1 Key cultivars of Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy), both worldwide and with particular

focus on opium in Afghanistan

1.2 Papaver bracteatum Lindl (scarlet poppy / thebaine poppy)

2 Role of alkaloids as “parents” (starting materials) for semi-synthetic opioids

2.1 Extraction methods

2.2 “High” and “low” alkaloid content

2.3 Main commercial products of opium poppy

2.4 Codeine and morphine syntheses

3 Medical uses of opium

3.1 Alkaloids with a medical use

3.2 Medicines based on alkaloids

3.3 Use of medicines based on alkaloids

4 State-of-the-art opium poppy biotechnology

4.1 Description of those poppy types with specialised alkaloid contents which are presently in

development

4.2 New candidate poppy types which are being developed, tested for future registration and

cultivation

4.3 Possibility of breeding different coloured poppies according to alkaloid content

4.4 Latest developments in in vivo and in vitro biotechnology as well as gene technology.

Conclusions

2 Opium based medicines: a mapping of global supply, demand and needs 57

Professor Benedikt Fischer, University of Toronto, Canada

Todd Culbert, MA, University of Toronto, Canada

1 Opiate-based medications world needs assessment

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Cancer Pain

1.3 HIV/AIDS Pain

1.4 Post-operative (acute) pain symptoms

1.5 Moderate to severe chronic pain

1.6 World palliative availability

1.7 The situation in Central Asia and Eastern Europe

2 Opioid-based pharmaceuticals: supply and demand

2.1 Global supply of opiate raw materials

2.2 Role of the pharmaceutical industry

2.3 The WHO analgesic method and the global strategy against pain

3 Licensed opium cultivation and production in the main producing countries 123

Ernestien Jensema, MA, The Senlis Council

Gabrielle Archer, The Senlis Council

Introduction

1 A brief history of the licensing system

2 The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs

3 India

3.1 Purpose

3.2 Structure

3.3 Economic importance of poppy cultivation

3.4 Efficiency of production

3.5 Economic and social impact of restructuring opium poppy cultivation

4 Australia

4.1 Purpose

4.2 Structure

4.3 Economic importance for the country

4.4 Efficiency of production

4.5 Economic and social impact of restructuring opium poppy cultivation

5 Turkey

5.1 Purpose

5.2 Structure

5.3 Economic importance of cultivation in Turkey

5.4 Efficiency of production

5.5 Economic and social impact of restructuring opium poppy cultivation

6 France

6.1 Purpose

6.2 Structure

6.3 Economic importance for the country

6.4 Efficiency of production

Conclusion

PART II – THE CURRENT ILLEGAL OPIUM ECONOMY IN AFGHANISTAN

1 An agronomic characterisation of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan 191

Dr Ir Jules Bos, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Netherlands

1 Agro-ecological characteristics

1.1 Climate

1.2 The role of agriculture in the Afghan economy

1.3 Irrigation

1.4 Agro-ecological zones

2 Poppy cultivation

2.1 Crop characteristics

2.2 Soil requirements

2.3 Cultivars

2.4 Seed

2.5 Cropping calendar

2.6 Fertilisation

2.7 Pests and diseases

2.8 Irrigation

2.9 Crop management and labour input

2.10 Opium harvesting methods

2.11 Yields

3 Current poppy production in Afghanistan

3.1 Regional distribution

3.2 Regional production

4 Alternative uses of poppy

5 Alternatives to poppy production

4.3 Requirement to establish and maintain one or more government agencies

4.4 Requirement not to contribute to overproduction of opium in the world

5 A licensing system in Afghanistan for the manufacture of morphine or codeine for domestic use

or export: A Fast Track Procedure

6 A licensing system in Afghanistan for the production of opium for export

6.1 Requirement to protect public health and prevent diversion

6.2 Requirement to establish and maintain one or more government agencies

6.3 Requirement not to contribute to overproduction of opium in the world

6.4 Requirements for license / approval

7 Cultivation of opium poppy for the production of poppy straw

7.1 Requirement to establish and maintain one or more government agencies

7.2 No requirement to apply estimate system

8 The INCB, the Estimate System and the Statistical Returns System

8.1 The Estimate System

8.2 Statistical returns system

8.3 Estimates of drug requirements

8.4 Statistical returns to be furnished to the INCB by Parties

8.5 Other Information to be furnished to the INCB by Parties

9 Measures of supervision and inspection

10 Measures by the Board to ensure the execution of provisions of the Convention

11 Afghanistan’s 1956 Application to Export Opium

12 Overview of the licensing system in other countries and analysis of these systems in the light

of the conditions unique to Afghanistan

13 Adapting the international framework to enable licensed opium production in Afghanistan

14 Ad hoc measures to create flexibility in the UN Drugs Conventions Regime

15 Measures to eradicate illegal cultivation of narcotic plants

15.1 The 1961 Convention provisions concerning eradication

15.2 The 1988 Convention provisions concerning eradication

Conclusion

2 The Afghan domestic legal framework 433

Professor Ali Wardak

David Spivack, The Senlis Council

1 The Afghan Legal System in General

1.2 The Courts and the Judiciary

1.3 Links between Justice Sector Institutions and the Overall Coordination of Legal Policy

1.5 Traditional Justice Systems

2 The Relationship between the Formal Legal System and Traditional Institutions of Informal Justice

3 Potential Legislative Issues in the production of Opium for Medical and Scientific Purposes

3.1 Compatibility with Existing Laws

3.2 The Afghan Constitution and Primary Legislation

3.3 Compatibility of Opium Production for Medicine with Islamic Law

4 Afghanistan’s Existing Counter Narcotics Institutions and their Mandates

4.1 Current Principles and Priorities