Existing policy and legislation, which often focuses on the criminal aspects of supply reduction, sometimes creates obstacles to the development of effective demand reduction. The need for such demand reduction is increasingly recognized.
In 1990 the World Ministerial Summit on Reduction of Demand for Drugs adopted a declaration reinforcing such initiatives. ILO is concerned with the provision of guidelines for demand reduction in relation to vocational rehabilitation.
In December 1994, citizens' groups involved in reducing the demand for drugs and in social development issues met at a major world conference in Bangkok, Thailand sponsored by the UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). The Forum aimed to focus on drug demand reduction in the broader context of social development. Its main objectives were to enhance and increase the involvement of NGOs in drug demand reduction, to facilitate improved or new partnerships between NGOs and to promote additional NGO partners with UNDCP.