United Nations To Vote On Cannabis Rescheduling

This could prove to be a very big week for cannabis at the international level with the United Nations’ Commission on Narcotic Drugs voting on a series of cannabis policy recommendations from the World Health Organization.

The Commission has met on several occasions to discuss the recommendations from the World Health Organization, including a recommendation to reschedule cannabis, however, there has yet to be a vote.

Voting was expected to occur earlier in 2020, but due to various delays, it never happened. That will change tomorrow when the Commission finally votes on the recommendations. Below is what is being considered, as reported by Marijuana Moment:

1. Remove marijuana from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention.

2. Add THC and dronabinol (synthetic THC medication) to Schedule I of the 1961 Convention and, if approved, delete them from Schedule II of the 1971 Convention.

3. If the second recommendation is adopted, add tetrahydrocannabinol to Schedule I of the 1961 Convention and, if approved, delete it from Schedule I of the 1971 Convention.

4. Delete “extracts and tinctures of cannabis” from Schedule I of the 1961 Convention.

5. Add footnote to clarify that CBD products containing no more than 0.2 percent THC are not subject to international control.

6. Add “preparations containing dronabinol” to Schedule III of the 1961 Convention.

Only time will tell what gets approved and what does not. International cannabis policy is extremely outdated, and binding international treaties are often cited by countries as to why lawmakers will not end cannabis prohibition in those countries.

Right now two countries, Uruguay and Canada, have legalized cannabis for adult-use. Dozens of countries have legalized cannabis for medical use. Cannabis is being imported and exported between a growing list of nations.

It is beyond time that international cannabis policy was updated to reflect what is actually happening in the real world.

Cannabis prohibition has failed, and it’s time for a more sensible approach at the global level so that at the national level countries can proceed with getting on the right side of history.