Committee should take the opportunity of formulating a call to Governments, bringing their attention to the urgency of the matter. 39. Further, many participants thought that the prevailing practice of bank secrecy presented a grave obstacle to effective investigation in that it provided criminals with safe havens for their illicit profits. Thus, bank secrecy had to be made more flexible. Countries had to be consistent. They could not claim that they were willing to co-operate while defending totally rigid bank secrecy practices. 40. The legislation concerning money laundering was, in many cases, inadequate and required considerable elaboration. In many countries, it was totally non-existent. With respect to the seizure and forfeiture of the profits of drug trafficking, the view was expressed that such funds should be shared by the countries concerned. 41. The Committee thought that repression alone was not sufficient in that area. Other social dimensions of the phenomenon of illegal drug production and drug abuse had to be taken into consideration. It was obvious that prevention should include a very strong educational component since young people were particularly vulnerable to the temptation of drug abuse. 42. Although the effectiveness of crop substitution as part of prevention strategies was recognized, it was indicated that the substituting crops should be competitive in the world market. Substitution for substitution's sake would lead nowhere, since the farmers' co-operation could hardly be secured by a scheme that endangered their already weak economic situation. Assistance against drugs, moreover, should in no case be limited to the provision of weaponry, armaments, aircraft or other military matériel. 43. There was also an urgent need to redefine the concept of political offences, so as to limit the reach of the political exception clause in matters of extradition. First, terrorism should never be accepted as a political offence, 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing a specific issue related to international cooperation and governance, focusing on the illegal drug trade and its consequences. It touches on themes such as law enforcement, economic development, and social dimensions, indicating that it may belong to a category that encompasses a broader scope than a single issue.

**Category**
Health, International trade