1 This paper reviews DFID's support for the government's international drugs strategy in the light of the White Paper on International Development (November 1997)1 and subsequent experience in shifting the focus of our development assistance activities to emphasise poverty reduction.
2 The UK government needs to take a consistent approach across Whitehall to drugs issues. Different government departments will, rightly, have some differences of emphasis. Some (such as the Home Office and Customs and Excise) will be strongly focused on interdiction while DFID will be more focused on finding long-term solutions to the drugs problem through tackling poverty in developing countries. DFID will continue to work closely with other Whitehall departments, encouraging them to incorporate developmental objectives into their own drugs policies.
3 The present paper sets out the reasons for DFID's involvement in the drugs strategy, and discusses the range of policy responses available. It does not set spending targets as the appropriate level of spend will depend on the country context, in particular how far a government has successfully integrated drugs control policies into an overall strategy for poverty reduction.
