UN prepares for December vote on cannabis reclassification

Prior to the upcoming vote in December The UN, which is expected to address the reclassification of cannabis, will meet next week to discuss recommendations on cannabis and cannabis-derived substances.

During the meeting, UN member states are expected to discuss the implications of the recommendations regarding extracts and tinctures, as well as CBD. The recommendation from the’WHO to reclassify CBD, if it were ultimately adopted, could lead to freer international trade in the cannabinoid.

The thematic meetings, which will be held behind closed doors, are open only to UN member states and relevant intergovernmental organizations. Next week’s meeting will be the first in a series of thematic meetings to be held before the December vote. Member states will then have the opportunity to clarify and discuss unresolved issues arising from the WHO’s recommendations.

The first recommendation, if adopted, would remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, the most restrictive category, which does not recognize any medical use, and lists it only in Schedule I.

The second recommendation concerns prescription CBD-based medications, clarifying that preparations containing primarily CBD and up to 0.2% of THC are not subject to international control.

Many member countries, including some owned by the European Commission and the Council of Europe, are still unsure about the possible implications of this second recommendation.

In an email to member countries as reported by MJBizDaily, the CND Secretariat sent a list of issues to be considered for each of the two recommendations:

• The Implications for International Trade
• The Impact on the Regulation of These Substances
• Measures to be taken «to avoid any confusion among national regulatory agencies»
• A possible directive «to ensure a common understanding»
• A series of legal implications and clarifications, such as whether the footnote would also apply to preparations that are not produced for medical purposes.
• The Need for a Common Methodology for Testing THC Levels