The UN Lifts Ban on Cannabis, Removed It From A List of The Most Dangerous Substances

A factory worker processes cannabis flowers to make them ready for export on November 10 in Kasese, Uganda.

Report by CNN

Published by thedispatch on December 3, 2020

A CNN REPORT has indicated that a United Nations commission had voted to remove cannabis from a list that categorsed it as one of the most dangerous drugs -- a move that recognises the plant as having medicinal value.

The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs approved a recommendation from the World Health Organisation 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.

Substances classified as Schedule IV are a subset of Schedule I drugs. That means not only are they considered to be "highly addictive and highly liable for abuse," they're also labeled as "particularly harmful and of extremely limited medical or therapeutic value."

"This is welcome news for the millions of people who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes and reflects the reality of the growing market for cannabis-based medicinal products," a group of drug policy advocacy organisations said in a news release.

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.

According to CNN, one Ann Fordham, executive director of the International Drug Policy Consortium said in a statement: "We welcome the long overdue recognition that cannabis is a medicine.

"However, this reform alone is far from adequate given that cannabis remains incorrectly scheduled at the international level."

The move is largely symbolic, and may not have an immediate impact on how governments control scheduled substances. But it could give a boost to medical cannabis legalization efforts in countries that look to the United Nations for guidance.

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.

Members also rejected other four other recommendations from WHO about cannabis and its derivatives, which included removing extracts and tinctures of cannabis from Schedule I status and classifying a psychoactive component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

Alfredo Pascual, an analyst for the trade publication Marijuana Business Daily, according to the CNN, said in a news release that "the message that the removal from Schedule IV sends cannot be overstated."

He added, "It's an implicit acknowledgement of its therapeutical utility and that marijuana is not as dangerous as believed about 60 years ago."

This newspaper is an advocate of "Legalise Cannabis". 

The paper believes that cannabis is already another gold mine yet to be exloited by Nigeria.

Dozens of States in the United States of America have already legalized cannabis, particularly the medicinal aspects of the God given plants.

Fewer States, however, have legalized both medicinal and domestic uses of cannabis in the US.

It is therefore imperative on the part of Nigeria government to begin the process of extracting the medicinal quality of cannabis for export to generate necessary foreign exchange as sooner than later byproduct of cannabis would soon be an addictive in many products from cosmetics to table water.

STOP DESTROYING CANNABIS! IT'S NEW CRUDE OIL!

See more stories on the campaign to Legalise Cannabis in Nigeria.