World Health Organization

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In this edition of Americas Model United Nations, the World Health Organization will focus on a growing concern of national governments and the international community as a whole: drugs.

Topic A: Drugs: The Boundary between Licit and Illicit

One of the major issues involving drugs is: what is licit?  Hence, focus will be put on international understandings over some specific drugs and also on differences on their legal status around the globe. Tobacco and alcohol, due to their physical, addictive, and social effects, are the most remarkable examples of licit drugs. The social aspect of licit drugs is extremely complex, including, for instance, issues like second-hand smoking; connections between alcohol, car accidents and domestic violence; and bonds of youth with licit drugs.

Besides that, another social component to addiction will be addressed during our first discussions: the role of the social environment. In other words, what are the positive and negative effects that social environments can cause regarding licit drugs? In addition to this, what are the economic and health-system impacts of the legal use of certain drugs like marijuana, for example? To sum it all up, delegates will be expected to address manners of mitigating the effects of licit drugs.

Topic B: The Cultural Dilemmas Behind Ilicit Drugs

Several international interventions, treaties, and conventions have intended to address the issues of illicit drugs. However, the cultural components of illicit drugs use must be highlighted in this regard. That is to say, the cultural dilemmas of how to deal with the illicitness of certain drugs without judging a foreign culture or tradition need to be taken into account. 

The traditional use of coca will be put side by side to cocaine, always bearing in mind a set of medicinal and cultural aspects. Opium and the illegal use of marijuana will also be subject of discussions, along with the role played by the drug culture upon youth and other groups. In conclusion, delegates will be expected to address manners of mitigating the effects of illicit drugs as well.