The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is responsible for overseeing the operation of the international drug treaties, management of markets in medicines controlled by the treaties, and ensuring the supply of opioids for pain and other medical uses.¹ The Board, which comprises 13 experts elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, deems itself the guardian of the treaties and is often critical of countries it judges as having violated their provisions. For example, in its annual report for 2012,² Denmark comes in for criticism for proposals to establish drug consumption rooms, and ‘coffee shops’ in the Netherlands are considered by the Board to be in violation of the international drug control conventions (pp.99–100). The report highlights the publication of the National Substance Misuse Strategy in Ireland. It also refers to the ‘heroin drought’ identified in Ireland in late 2010 and relates this to a decrease in heroin being trafficked to the United Kingdom via Turkey (p.103). Another interesting drug market feature noted in the report relates to the trafficking of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) into Australia. Ireland, along with Canada, China (including Hong Kong) and India are the main embarkation points for those detected bringing ATS into Australia (p.112).

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1. For a recent article on the international drug conventions, see Room R and Reuter P (2012) How well do international drug conventions protect public health? The Lancet, 379(9810): 84–91.
2. International Narcotics Control Board (2013) Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2012. Vienna: United Nations Office. Available at  www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19428