The Convention on Psychotropic Substances was adopted in 1971 under the auspices of the United Nations. It was adopted to supplement the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. While the Single Convention applied primarily to opium and opium-derivatives (morphine, heroin, etc.), this Convention applied to other drugs with mental effects, such as LSD. It requires its parties to criminalize the use, possession or manufacture of drugs referred to in its schedule, which can be updated. The Convention entered into force on August 16 1976. As of January 1, 2005, there were 175 Parties to the treaty[1].

The Convention's Article 19 and the Single Convention's Article 14 both assign the International Narcotics Control Board similar enforcement powers and responsibilities. However, according to The Mechanics and Dynamics of the UN System for International Drug Control by David R. Bewley-Taylor, PhD and Professor Cindy Fazey, PhD, "[C]oncerted efforts by drug manufacturing nations and the pharmaceutical industry ensured that the controls on psychotropics in the 1971 treaty were considerably looser than those applied to organic drugs in the Single Convention." Provisions to prevent the international trafficking of drugs covered by this Convention are contained in the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

Schedules of Controlled Substances

The Convention has four Schedules of controlled substances, ranging from Schedule I (most restrictive) to Schedule IV (least restrictive). Article 2 grants the Commission on Narcotic Drugs the power to add substances to the Schedules, "taking into account the communication from the World Health Organization, whose assessments shall be determinative as to medical and scientific matters, and bearing in mind the economic, social, legal, administrative and other factors it may consider relevant".

The World Health Organization's assessment of the substance must include:

• The extent or likelihood of abuse,
• The degree of seriousness of the public health and social problem, and
• The degree of usefulness of the substance in medical therapy.

The UN Economic and Social Council is the only body with the power to alter or reverse the Commission's scheduling decisions.

Medical and recreational drug use

Like the Single Convention, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances recognizes medical use of psychoactive drugs, while banning recreational use. Article 7 provides that, in respect of Schedule I substances, the Parties shall "[p]rohibit all use except for scientific and very limited medical purposes by duly authorized persons, in medical or scientific establishments which are directly under the control of their Governments or specifically approved by them".

In this sense, the U.S. Controlled Substances Act is stricter than the Convention requires. Both have a tightly-restricted category of drugs called Schedule I, but the Act prohibits medical use of Schedule I substances, while the Convention allows limited medical use of all substances.

As of March 2005, 111 substances were controlled under the Convention[2].

Reference

• Bewley-Taylor, David R. and Fazey, Cindy S. J.: The Mechanics and Dynamics of the UN System for International Drug Control, Mar. 14, 2003.
• Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971 - Including List of Substances in the Schedules.
• Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971, International Narcotics Control Board.
• Monthly Status of Treaty Adherence, Jan. 1, 2005.
• Saunders, Nicholas: E is for Ecstasy, Appendix 1: Reference Section, Letter from myself in New Scientist, Dec. 18, 1993.