The need for suppressing the illicit traffic in drugs can hardly be
over-emphasized. Yet, the licit uses of drugs, especially for medical
and scientific needs, cannot be suppressed. Apparently, it is a ques-
tion of determining the vvorld requirements of drugs for such legiti-
mate uses, and of producing and manufacturing them accordingly. Owing to
their multifarious medical uses in various parts of the world, it proves
to be almost impossible to determine exactly the amount of drugs
required for legitimate purposes. There is also the complicating factor
that drugs are used for sociological and religious reasons, which have a
long history. Not only arc the licit uses and legitimate amounts of
drugs difficult to determine but also such difficulties give rise to
illicit traffic in them. Yet, it is believed that a concerted
international policy, coupled with national co-operation, on various
facets of the related problems-namely, limitation of production and/or
manufacture of drugs, restriction on cultivation of plants that may
contribute to addiction-producing substances, training and
rehabilitation of drug addicts, and efficient national
administration-would help eradicate drug-abuse. In search of an
appropriate remedy, this book has been devoted to a practical study of
the problem and to exploring, in this area of international law, the
relationship between the political and econ- omic interests and the
international economic order.