Just prohibiting cannabis has not controlled or had been effective in reducing health problems or the negative impacts on social system. Making it prohibited has only increased the supply of such illicit trade into the market thus increasing the violence and organised crimes in the society. The United Nations had framed three treaties ,1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. In the United States even though the President Richard Nixon initiated of a “war on drugs,” most of the states in U.S, formally decriminalized the possession of cannabis. Dutch authorities even formulated “coffee shop” for selling soft drugs with the regulated tolerated policy.
Cannabis is legal in countries like Czech Republic, Portugal, Russia Croatia, Spain, Ukraine and Switzerland. Another set of countries who do not tolerate are Singapore, turkey, Korea, Pakistan, KSA, Malaysia and Japan which is considered totally illegal. In India, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances Act, 1985, bans the trade and consumption of Cannabis. However, strong contention has grown over the year legalising Cannabis for medicinal purposes. The Delhi High court told the Centre not to completely ban cannabis as it aids medical and scientific research and benefits. In 2018, Uttarakhand becomes the first state to allow commercial cultivation of hemp crops and later in 2019, Madhya Pradesh allowed for the same. In 2020, India opened its first medical cannabis clinic called Vedi wellness centre in Bangalore, which infused cannabis into tablets were manufacture. Jamaica is the only country where Cannabis is part of their culture.
It is used in food cosmetics and liquid cigarettes. Taken in low quantity studies have proved that it reduces nausea during chemo therapy , improves appetite in HIV/ Aids. Improves sleeping disorders, improves ties in Tourette syndrome. When usual treatments are ineffective cannabinoids are used for treating anorexia, arthurites glaucoma and migraine.
In 2020, the United Nation commission for Narcotics Drugs made a historic voting to move Cannabis and related which was on the restricted schedule under the 1961 single convention on Narcotics Drugs to the least restrictive schedule.
Drugs have been in regulation at an international level since 1912, while cannabis has been regulated since 1925. There is an INCB ( international Narcotic control Board which is independent , quasi – judicial body charged in promoting and monitoring government compliance with the 3 international drug control conventions. Established by the single convention, in Narcotic drugs of 1961, a 13 member of the board is elected in personal capacity by the Economic and Social council for a term of 5 years.
