As part of its recently concluded 125th Session in May 2019, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) invited civil society to a special ‘hearing’ on the topic of young people and drugs – which will be the thematic focus for the Board’s 2019 Annual Report.
The legal regulation of cannabis for medical and research purposes is a step in the right direction, but the continued criminalisation of people who use cannabis and the restrictive understanding of medical uses might hinder access and create new challenges.
The INCB's participation at CND showed how far the Board has come in terms of supporting human rights norms in the pursuit of drug control obligations, but the Board's outdated inflexibility on cannabis is regrettable.
Even though there is evidence that we are moving towards a less punitive approach to drug policy, there is still so much more to be done in terms of harm reduction interventions and the effectiveness of the current drug policies.
The response by the Board's President to a Thai party including the legal regulation of cannabis in their electoral platform is beyond disproportionate.
In a geo-political context vastly different from the ‘mood of change’ that had characterised the 2016 UNGASS debate, it is critical that reform-minded NGOs keep the pressure on both governments and the UN – and continued advocacy at the UN level to challenge the international regime to retain the gains made at the UNGASS is a priority.
