WHO’s review of cannabis may be the starting point for worldwide reform

Cannabis CC Don Goofy

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WHO’s review of cannabis may be the starting point for worldwide reform

21 June 2018

By Sara Velimirović

The World Health Organisation (WHO) decides this week whether to further examine if cannabis should remain on the international list of most restricted substances, signalling a potential change in the international law on cannabis.

This would be a welcoming move in the wake of what is happening in Europe, with the Charlotte Caldwell case and the unprecedented support she is seeing, as well as the announcement by the French Health Minister and their intent to regulate medical cannabis.French Health minister announcing last week they are considering regulating medical cannabis, while Britain seems to be boiling over the Charlotte Caldwell case.

While many states are moving towards regulation, a major deterrent – and indeed an often cited argument by officials – are the UN restrictions on reforming policy. Although an incremental step in dismantling prohibition, the WHO rescheduling decision could be a litmus test for future policy reactions – and thus accelerate national advocacy efforts.

Last week at the 40th session of the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) of the WHO discussed if cannabis (including the plant and resin, as well as cannabis extract and tinctures, THC and its isomers) should be further reviewed later in the year in the process of potentially moving the substance to schedules that require less control.