Narcotics Commission
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (Engl. Commission on Narcotic Drugs , CND ) is the central body for drug policy of the United Nations and in 1946 by the UN Economic and Social Council with the Canadians Charles Henry Ludovic Sharman founded as the first chairman. Its predecessor, the Advisory Committee on the Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs , was set up by the League of Nations on December 5, 1920 and existed until 1940. The commission usually meets in Vienna.
Powers
The Narcotics Commission decides on the control and classification of narcotic substances and precursor substances and thus has far-reaching possibilities of influencing the drug legislation of all states that have acceded to the UN drug conventions. It also formulates drug policy recommendations to the UN member states, which can be passed as resolutions by the CND itself or submitted to ECOSOC (and indirectly to the General Assembly). The Commission also manages the drug policy programs of the UN Secretariat, namely the UNODC . However, some enforcement measures and supervision of the national implementation of the drug conventions are reserved for the Narcotics Control Council .
Article 8 of the Single Agreement on Narcotic Drugs empowers the Narcotics Commission
- to record and classify new substances
- to inform the Narcotics Control Council of all matters that may be relevant to it
- Make recommendations on the implementation of the objectives and provisions of the Single Agreement, including scientific research projects and the exchange of scientific or technical information
- Inform non-members about the decisions and recommendations of the commission.
According to Article 17 of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances , it has the power to include new substances in the relevant categories by a 2/3 majority and to take all measures to implement the aims and provisions of the Convention or to submit the corresponding proposals.
Substance classification process
The various drug treaties cover substances in four different categories, which result in varying degrees of control over manufacture, distribution and possession. Article 3 of the Single Convention and Article 2 of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances empower the Commission to decide to include substances in one of the four categories, to remove them from these or to assign them to another category.
Applications can be submitted either by individual states or by the World Health Organization ( WHO). In any case, the WHO must provide a medical and scientific evaluation of the substance in question before it can be classified as a drug or an addictive substance. This assessment is relevant to the Commission; in addition, however, it also has to take into account economic, social, administrative and other criteria. Such considerations can mean that a substance is not controlled or classified less strictly despite a WHO recommendation.
In addition to the actual drugs, the Narcotics Commission can also place chemicals required for synthesis (so-called precursors ) under international control. There are two separate lists for recording these substances. In these cases, the scientific evaluation is the responsibility of the Narcotics Control Council.
The decisions of the Narcotics Commission can be changed or revoked by ECOSOC. They are then to be implemented by the UN member states. If a substance is not subject to international control, it can still be controlled by individual states based on national legislation.
Members
53 states are represented in the commission. Membership in a single country is limited to four years. The seats are distributed according to the following key:
- eleven seats for African states
- eleven seats for Asian countries
- ten seats for South American and Caribbean countries
- seven seats for Eastern European countries
- fourteen seats for Western European and other countries
- Another seat that rotates every four years to Asia or South America and the Caribbean.
The commission members are elected by ECOSOC from among the UN members and the contracting states of the Single Convention. Particular attention should be paid to countries where opium poppies and coca leaves are grown or pharmaceuticals are manufactured, as well as countries with serious drug problems.