Brasília, 11/4/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The situation in Brazil has improved with respect to control of drug use and sales, says the national Anti-drugs secretary, Paulo Roberto Uchoa, speaking before the Interamerican Commission on Drug Control and Abuse. The commission is housed in the Organization of American States (OAS), has 34-country members and meets twice a year. The present meeting is taking place in Brazil.

According to Uchoa's report to the commission, there is no problem with heroin consumption in Brazil. Significant progress has been made in destroying marijuana and cocaine plantations and there is no movement in the country to legalize drug use. Those factors, said Uchoa, allow the country to concentrate on the fight against organized crime and drug prevention programs.

The head of the Anti-drug secretariat declared that the fight had to be based on four pillars: family, school, church and the workplace. "We have to train people to work at those levels and educate young people," said Uchoa. He emphasized the importance of local authorities developing anti-drugs programs. He also pointed out that other government ministries were involved in the campaign, especially the Ministry of Education, which has begun a training program for teachers.

In spite of Uchoa's optimistic report, the commission criticized the delay in implementing programs to fight drugs in Brazil. Uchoa said he saw the criticism as "an opportunity to evaluate performance and a challenge to do better."

The OAS commission established a Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism in 1998 on drug combat in member nations. Information on it can be accessed at: www.cicad.oas.org (AB)