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.
Wednesday’s vote means that cannabis and cannabis resin are 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.
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 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.
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
