experts agree that a war on drugs is ineffective in reducing drug production and often has extreme negative long-term impacts on development and human rights.

In 2003 the illicit drugs market was worth an estimated $320 billion with over 5 per cent of the world's populations aged between 15 and 64 years of age, or nearly 250 million people, consuming illicit drugs.

East and Southeast Asia is home to about a third of the global population and is one of the fastest growing regions in the world. Economic development in the region is leading to new infrastructure and trade initiatives. However, the accelerated movement of people, trade and goods has given rise to many opportunities for drug traffickers to exploit to make their business prosper. As raised in recent United Nations reports, there is a real challenge facing the region from amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and other synthetic drugs. ATS drugs, particularly methamphetamine, are widely used and it is now estimated that up to 20 million people in the region have used amphetamines in the past year.

Although opium production has plateaued, its production increased by 80 per cent between 1998 and 2009. Afghanistan accounts for almost 90 per cent of the world's opium supply, although recent intelligence suggests that production in Burma is increasing after years of decline. The policy of eradication of poppy crops in many countries has seen an unintended negative and rapid increase in drug injecting as people change from smoking the drug to seek a bigger effect from the drugs they are able to obtain. It has also contributed to a rapid increase in the number of people switching to ATSs which are far cheaper and easier to produce.

In the aid arena, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) were adopted by world leaders in the year 2000 for realisation in 2015. They provide a benchmark for tackling extreme poverty and provide a framework for the international community to work together. However, reductions in poverty do not necessarily address gender equality and environmental sustainability, and the expansion of health services does not automatically mean improvement in quality.

The MDG is where the worlds of development aid and illicit drugs collide. The negative impact of illicit drugs on achieving the MDG cannot be overstated. Drug users are not necessarily poor but the poor are disproportionately affected by drugs.

Widespread production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs not only affect health, livelihoods and governance but also impinge on national and regional economies, legislation, basic human rights and life itself.

For too long there has been limited recognition of the relationship between illicit drugs and social and economic development. Lack of development and the lack of education and employment opportunities exacerbate drug use and drug trafficking while rapid development and the accompanying social and economic changes creates problems for some groups that can result in greater involvement with drugs. Countries within Asia, and increasingly the Pacific, provide many examples of the relationship between rapid change, displacement, poverty, migration, violence and involvement in illicit drugs. Many of the reasons for increased drug use in countries like Burma, Pakistan and Afghanistan are very much related to economic development - whether it is truck drivers taking drugs to drive all night or those needing drugs to cope with being forced into commercial sex work - the impact of drugs can be seen. The impact on migrant groups is often particularly severe as they rarely have access to a health system or community support.

Aid programs must address the fact that development is about change and that better and more attractive alternatives to drugs need to be a part of that change. In Asia and the Pacific, programs dealing with illicit drugs are often too narrowly focused on law enforcement, with some occasional focus on prevention, harm reduction or treatment. An approach that is integrated with reducing drug supply, providing attractive livelihood alternatives, reducing drug use and demand, reducing the harms caused by drug use and the provision of treatment for existing drug users is needed as part of the development process.

Adding to these problems is conflict and the resultant instability, which not only helps to facilitate illicit drug economies, but can sustain the conflict. We see this in countries such as Afghanistan, Colombia, and Myanmar, where rebel and pro-government forces have used illicit drug economies to finance their activities.

Most experts agree that a war on drugs is ineffective in reducing drug production and often has extreme negative long-term impacts on development and human rights. Unfortunately, while drug users are seen as the problem and not as people that need assistance they will continue to be imprisoned, victimised and disenfranchised. This only exacerbates HIV and other health problems.

As a world leader in drug policy and treatment, and the funding increase for AusAID, Australia has a unique opportunity to assist our region.