Position papers will be due on February 5, 2021. The position paper format, and all other important conference documents, can be found on our conference website, http://lhhsconference.weebly.com/. Email all position papers to our committee email: [email protected]. Feel free to contact us via email if you have any questions or concerns!
Hello delegates, my name is Isabella Kazemi and I will be your head chair for this year’s LHHS MUN conference! I am a senior and this is my 5th year in the MUN program. In my free time, I enjoy playing sports, hanging out with friends, and listening to music. I look forward to seeing everyone!
Hello delegates, my name is Noah Brull and I will be your vice chair at the Laguna Hills High School MUN Conference. I am currently a junior and this is my second year in the MUN program. I enjoy playing baseball at school and competing on the field. Outside of school, I like to hang out with friends and frequently spend all my money on clothes.
Hello delegates, my name is Jhaniz Gutierrez and I will be your moderator at the Laguna Hills High School MUN conference. I am a sophomore and this is my second year in the MUN program. I enjoy playing volleyball and have played club for two years. In my free time, I like to spend time with friends and family.
Topic: Global Opioid Crisis
Background The opioids crisis has been a public health issue considering fatal consequences. Opioid overdoses have increased over the years in various countries because of the increased use of opioids for chronic pain management and the increase of highly potent opioids appearing in the illicit drug market. Opioid dependence can lead to health problems and overdose. Around 21% to 29% of patients prescribed opioids misuse them. Not only does opioid misuse and overdoses affect the user itself, but also the baby during a pregnancy. Neonatal abstinence syndrome occurs to newborns, suffering from opioid withdrawal when born. Opioids include compounds extracted from poppy seed, as well as semisynthetic and synthetic compounds possessing similar properties that can interact with opioid receptors in the brain. Such as morphine, fentanyl, and tramadol, it is commonly used for pain treatment. Euphoria is one of the main reasons opioids are taken for non-medical reasons. Euphoria causes a feeling of happiness and confidence. Furthermore, fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid used as a pain reliever and as an anaesthetic, has shown positive in tests of users who do not realize they have taken that substance. This is because there has been evidence that drug dealers add fentanyl to increase the strength of their products, such as heroin. Misuse of opioids for non-medical purposes leads to health problems as the body becomes dependent on it. Consequences include breathing difficulties, infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C because of the use of drug injections, and overdose which can lead to death. Half of the million deaths worldwide are because of drug use, and more than 70% are opioids related. Problematically, only less than 10% of those who need treatment to decrease the risk of overdose because of opioid dependence are receiving it. According to WHO, there were about 115,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2017. In the United States of America, between 2010 and 2018, people dying from opioid overdose increased by 120%. WHO supports nations to ensure rational use of opioids.
UN Involvement The UN strives to combat the grievances caused by opioids, with the main contributors being WHO and UNODC. Starting in 1997, the UNODC has focused on predicting, preventing, and protecting people from the dangers of opioids. The UNODC implements a methodical approach when dealing with opioids, keeping in mind the health, education, and public safety of others. One example of this is the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action, which would implement measures and see the creation of the Drug Dependence Treatment and Rehabilitation unit. Guided by UNODC, the unit provides low-cost treatment services by using new data and suggested drug treatment solutions. These strategies rehabilitate the user, pushing for new legislation, and providing an alternative to addicts that may face corporal punishment. Starting in 2013 and proceeding annually, the UNODC co-organizes the International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances, bringing together scientists and policymakers to explore legislative and analytical responses to limit the usage of narcotics and opioids. A new global initiative titled the UNODC Opioid Strategy would be created in 2018, outlining five pillars to combat the opioid crisis. These pillars delved into the necessity for increased law enforcement to stop trafficking, government counter-narcotic organizations, rationalized prescriptions, and restricting access to opioids. This strategy mainly deals with the uptick in fentanyl and other opioids used in North America, Africa, and the Middle East. The collaborative efforts resulted in the UN Toolkit on synthetic drugs, giving guidance and options to respond to the global opioid crisis. The UNODC collaborates with many other groups such as the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, World Anti-Doping Agency, and European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction to allocate resources and lessen the increasing number of opioid users. The UNODC is focusing primarily on preventing the spread of synthetic opioids and narcotics. The synthetic drug and opioid industry garner 61.4 billion dollars annually, with recent UNODC solutions revolving around the reduction in the availability of precursor chemicals, as the lessened availability will undercut illegal production and reduce the number of synthetic drugs and opioids on the market. The global opioid crisis compromises the health and safety of millions of people annually, the UNODC prioritizes the third sustainable development goal, which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Country Blocs Western Bloc: The opioid crisis continues to greatly affect the Western Bloc consisting of North America and Europe. The increase in treatment of pain but lack of opioid treatment has led to higher rates of opioid addiction and opioid-related deaths, making it a public health emergency. North America, specifically the United States, is leading in opioid addiction and mortality while many European nations have been able to regulate the issue better with their healthcare systems along with strengthened drug policies and programs. Nevertheless, the issue of overprescription persists.
Latin America Bloc: Although specific Latin American countries with high rates of drug trafficking and cartels, such as Colombia, lead in producing opium, their consumption is relatively low as reported by the Inter-American Commission on Drug Abuse Control. Despite this, nations including Mexico and Brazil still experience higher concentrations of individuals using opioids. The Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy stated that they plan to approach the topic as a health problem by implementing consumption-reduction policies to increase awareness and prevention.
African Bloc: Although it is not as large of a problem as it is in other regions, opioid trafficking and consumption has grown significantly in the African Bloc. They have taken action with the implementation of several treatment and prevention services that are OUD-specific throughout the continent. However, these efforts continue to be outpaced by the rapid distribution and consumption of these drugs. There is a necessity for reduction approaches that are evidence-based along with increased access.
Asia Pacific Bloc: Although they have very strict drug laws in place, the Asian Bloc has a long history with opium use and has been one of the main global producers. It has been reported that about 55% of the world's heroin is grown, and produced in Afghanistan alone, leading the surrounding countries to experience some of the worst addiction. In addition to heroin, the majority of the world’s fentanyl is produced in Asia. However, up until recently, the use of this highly addictive synthetic drug wasn’t as big of a concern. Now it is one of the main focuses of many reduction efforts.
Questions to Consider
How can nations prevent the overprescription of opioids?
What steps can nations take to increase preventative measures in regards to addiction?
What has your nation done in the past to address the opioid crisis? How effective was it?
How do the economy and the current pandemic affect your country’s policy?
How should the UN approach opioid cartels in nations such as Afghanistan, Mexico, and China?
Sources
Russa. “The Opioid Epidemic: What Can We Learn from Europe?” Consult QD, Consult QD, 11 Dec. 2018, consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/the-opioid-epidemic-what-can-we-learn-from-europe/.
Pacurucu-Castillo, Saul Francisco, et al. “World Opioid and Substance Use Epidemic: A Latin American Perspective.” Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice, 24 Jan. 2019, prcp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.prcp.20180009.
Kurth, Ann E, et al. “The Opioid Epidemic in Africa And Its Impact.” Current Addiction Reports, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7269163/.