A United Nations commission has voted to remove cannabis from a list that categorized it as one of the most dangerous drugs a move that recognizes the plant as having medicinal value.
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs approved a recommendation from the World Health Organization on Wednesday to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from its Schedule IV classification under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
That designation put cannabis and one of its derivatives in a category alongside heroin and other opioids.
The historic move is expected to open doors to recognize the medicinal and therapeutic potential of the drug and make it easier for countries to conduct new research.
“This is welcome news for the millions of people who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes and reflects the reality of the growing market for cannabis-based medicinal products,” a group of drug policy advocacy organizations said in a news release.
While the cannabis industry cheered the decision as a “big step forward” for patients and research, the vote won’t change the laws governing the use of the drug.
Cannabis had been placed in the strictest control schedules for the past 59 years, discouraging all uses including for medicinal purposes.
The development comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2019 had recommended the deletion of “cannabis and cannabis resin” from Schedule IV of the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
Wednesday’s vote means that cannabis and cannabis resin is no longer classified as among the most harmful substances and are acknowledged as having medical benefits. But they’ll still be subject to restrictions under the Schedule I category.
“We welcome the long-overdue recognition that cannabis is a medicine,” Ann Fordham, executive director of the International Drug Policy Consortium, said in a statement. “However, this reform alone is far from adequate given that cannabis remains incorrectly scheduled at the international level.”
The commission voted 27-25 to reschedule cannabis and cannabis resin. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and South Africa were among those who voted in favor, while countries including Brazil, China, Russia and Pakistan voted against.
Members also rejected other four other recommendations from WHO about cannabis and its derivatives, which included removing extracts and tinctures of cannabis from Schedule I status and classifying a psychoactive component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol.
According to experts, the vote will have no immediate impact on loosening international controls because the classification of cannabis is still under the jurisdiction of individual sovereign governments.
”Something like this does not mean that legalization is just going to happen around the world,” Jessica Steinberg, managing director at cannabis consultant group Global C, said, “But it could be a watershed moment.”
Currently, more than 50 countries have adopted medicinal cannabis programs while Canada, Uruguay and 15 US states have legalized its recreational use, with Mexico and Luxembourg close to becoming the third and fourth countries to do so nationally.
By Christabel Airo