The United States is a party to several international drug control treaties that have implications for the rescheduling of cannabis. These treaties, including the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, require member states to control certain substances in accordance with the treaties' provisions.
The rescheduling of cannabis at the federal level in the U.S. could raise questions about compliance with these international obligations. These treaties categorize drugs based on their medical utility and potential for abuse, and member countries are expected to regulate these drugs accordingly. A change in the scheduling of cannabis in the U.S. could necessitate renegotiations or reevaluations of these treaty commitments.
Navigating these international legal obligations while addressing domestic policy considerations is a complex aspect of the cannabis rescheduling debate. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) provides detailed information on international drug control treaties, available at UNODC.org.
