The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has worked to fight against illicit drug trades, international crime, and terrorism since its creation in 1997. These three areas include many distinct and varied specializations that UNODC Member States attempt to resolve. The UNODC pursues its goals through three avenues: research and increasing understanding of issues, supporting local governments in fighting issues, and supporting the ratification of treaties regarding issues. The UNODC is also known for its annual World Drug Report detailing trends and changes in worldwide drug use and production.
This committee is designed for both beginners and experienced delegates alike. Position papers, although strongly recommended, are not required. However, delegates who wish to be considered for an award must submit their position papers by January 12th, 2024, at 23:59 PT. More information about position papers can be found on page 3 of the Background Guide.
Topic A: Commodification of Drugs and Substances (Click to show summary)
Commodification is the process in which a product goes from being highly restrictive to a widely-used commodity for consumers. In the case of drugs and substances, both pharmaceutical and illicit ones, their commodification involves the commercialization of their use by making them available in pharmacies, stores, and online websites. This discussion involves both legal and illegal means to make drugs and substances more accessible to the general public. Some nations believe regulating drug accessibility helps ensure the safety of substance abusers and the community, while others believe it perpetuates harmful drug usage. Given the complex impacts that psychoactive drugs and substances have on society, commodification has the ability to either augment or mitigate the consequences.
Topic B: Prevention of Bioterrorism (Click to show summary)
Bioterrorism is the intentional use of biological agents against people or agriculture from both state and non-state actors. Biological attacks act slowly in order to spread quickly among a population, being able to cause widespread damage while being undetected. With modern advancements in biotechnology, bioterrorist attacks have the potential to cause thousands of deaths, especially in metropolitan centers. International prevention measures are currently underdeveloped and unequipped against the advancement of biological agents, with biodefense being mainly a national concern. This causes international biosurveillance systems and responses to be largely insufficient. With the disparity between nations’ resources, a lack of concerted effort leaves many nations unprepared for biological threats.
Justin Bao | Director
Currently a Grade 11 student at St. George’s School, Justin is ecstatic to serve as the Director of UNODC at VMUN 2024. Since his first conference at VMUN 2020 as a hesitant and stumbling delegate, Justin has been captivated by the organic flow of debate and diplomacy from the committee room. For Justin, Model UN has been synonymous with the growth of his passion in global events, diplomacy, and sociology, as well as being a place to build connections with others. Outside of the committee room, Justin can be found racking his brain on math problems, endlessly waiting in line for the ski lift, and attempting to write literature of questionable quality. Justin looks forward to meeting everyone and eagerly awaits a weekend of amazing debate and diplomacy!
Ann Wang | Chair
A Grade 11 student at Prince of Wales Secondary School, Ann is ecstatic to serve as the Chair of UNODC at VMUN 2024. After coming across the world of debate in Grade 9, she has developed a passion for the vigorous discussions and exciting experiences that Model UN brings. It has helped her advance her understanding of international relations, policy making, and countless other tools of communication and diplomacy. Ann hopes to provide those invaluable experiences to delegates of the UNICEF. Outside of Model UN, Ann can be found binging Netflix, indulging her Swiftie tendencies, and reading a good book. She hopes to make VMUN 2024 an enjoyable experience for all delegates, and looks forward to meeting them!
Christopher Lai | Assistant Director
As a Grade 11 at St. George’s School, Christopher is pleased to serve as the Assistant Director of the UNODC at VMUN 2024. Introduced to MUN four years ago, Christopher has been captivated by the passionate debates and collaboration within each conference ever since. Having come a long way in overcoming his trepidation of public speaking, he has grown to gain a greater appreciation for diplomacy and conflict resolution on the international stage. Beyond the committee room, Christopher can be found playing a sport on the ice or on the water, working on various projects in his backyard, or procrastinating on his schoolwork. Christopher looks forward to an exciting weekend with enthralling debate and hopes delegates will have an unforgettable experience at VMUN 2024.
You can contact the Director at unodc@vmun.com. Any questions regarding the committee or its debate procedures will be answered by email. Position papers must also be submitted to this address.