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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
The UN systemSome 250 substances are listed in the Schedules annexed to the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (New York, 1961, amended 1972), the Convention on Psychotropic Substances (Vienna, 1971) and the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (introducing control on precursors) (Vienna, 1988). The purpose of this listing is to control and limit the use of these drugs according to a classification of their therapeutic value, risk of abuse and health dangers, and to minimize the diversion of precursor chemicals to illegal drug manufacturers.Narcotic drugsNarcotic drugs are classified and placed under international control by the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended in 1972. The Single Convention limits 'exclusively to medical and scientific purposes the production, manufacture, export, import, distribution of, trade in, use and possession of drugs' (art. 4c).The annex to the 1961 Convention classifies narcotic drugs in four Schedules: Schedules Harmfulness Degree of control Examples of listed drugs I Substances with addictive properties, presenting a serious risk of abuse Very strict; 'the drugs in Schedule I are subject to all measures of control applicable to drugs under this Convention' (art. 2.1) Cannabis and its derivatives, cocaine, heroin, methadone, morphine, opium II Substances normally used for medical purposes and given the lowest risk of abuse Less strict Codeine, dihydrocodeine, propiram III Preparations of substances listed in Schedule II, as well as preparations of cocaine Lenient; according to the World Health Organisation, these preparations present no risk of abuse Preparations of codeine, dihydrocodeine, propiram IV The most dangerous substances, already listed in Schedule I, which are particularly harmful and of extremely limited medical or therapeutic value Very strict, leading to a complete ban on 'the production, manufacture, export and import of, trade in, possession or use of any such drug except
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