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Issue 2: Illicit cultivation of cannabis plant in Africa, trafficking in cannabis and its impact Recommendation (5) 26. The Sixteenth Meeting of HONLEA Africa recommended that Governments should be encouraged to formally assess the domestic threat of cannabis in order to support the development of effective national strategies to combat cannabis cultivation, trafficking and abuse. 27. (...) It was recommended that Governments should be encouraged to develop cannabis eradication programmes to effectively discourage its ongoing cultivation and offer viable economic alternatives to rural communities whose incomes are derived from illicit cannabis production. 36.

Addressing challenges posed by the cultivation and abuse of cannabis 3. The following recommendations were made with regard to challenges posed by the cultivation and abuse of cannabis: (a) In combating cannabis trafficking, Governments should encourage their law enforcement officials, prosecutors and judiciaries to work closely with their V.14-06487 5 UNODC/HONLAF/24/5 neighbours and with countries throughout the region to share information, conducting joint operations and improving communication channels; (b) Governments are encouraged to review their legislation with a view to harmonizing offences and sanctions related to cannabis trafficking; (c) Governments are encouraged to promote sustainable alternative development initiatives as an effective means of addressing the dependence of rural communities on the illicit cultivation of cannabis for their livelihoods. 3. (...) The Meeting further addressed the following areas: effective responses to meet the challenges of illicit cultivation of, and trafficking in, cannabis; good practices and strategies in the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers; and awareness-raising, training and building and enhancing the region’s law enforcement capacity to successfully counter drug trafficking. 20. (...) The working group drew the following conclusions: (a) The region’s authorities should work together and take a joint approach to effectively tackle cannabis cultivation, trafficking and abuse; (b) Differences in legislation and penalties between countries, including neighbours, can be exploited by cannabis traffickers, which compromises the effectiveness of the authorities’ response; (c) The efforts of law enforcement agencies must be complemented by the establishment of treatment and rehabilitation centres for cannabis addicts and those suffering from addiction to other substances; (d) Cannabis eradication programmes must be combined with sustainable alternative development initiatives, and community education should be encouraged in areas where cannabis cultivation is a primary contributor to community livelihoods. 10 V.14-06487 UNODC/HONLAF/24/5 3.

With regard to issue 1, “Cannabis plant cultivation and trafficking in cannabis in Latin America and the Caribbean”, the following recommendations were made: (a) Governments should be encouraged to assess the threat posed by cannabis in order to support the development of effective national strategies to counter the abuse of and trafficking in cannabis and the illicit cultivation of cannabis plants; (b) Governments should be encouraged to develop national strategies to counter the illicit cultivation of cannabis plants, including eradication programmes that effectively discourage the illicit cultivation of such plants and offer viable alternatives, where appropriate, to rural communities that are dependent on income obtained from such cultivation; (c) Governments should remain determined and proactive in the development and promotion of drug abuse prevention and awareness-raising campaigns that inform the public about the true dangers to public health and security associated with the cultivation of cannabis plants and with cannabis abuse and trafficking. (...) Participation in such initiatives was regarded as an effective way of tightening controls and promoting effective cooperation. 33. (...) Illicit cultivation of cannabis plant and trafficking in cannabis in Latin America and the Caribbean 35.

At its sixty-second session, the Commission had before it a note by the Secretariat on changes in the scope of control of substances: proposed scheduling recommendations by the World Health Organization on cannabis and cannabis-related substances (E/CN.7/2019/12). During its sixty-second session, on 19 March 2019, the Commission decided to postpone the voting on the recommendations of the WHO on the scope of control of cannabis and cannabis-related substances in order to provide States with more time to consider the recommendations (decision 62/14). (...) At its sixty-third session, the Commission decided on 4 March 2020 to continue during its sixty-third session the consideration of the WHO recommendations on cannabis and cannabis-related substances and to vote at its reconvened sixty-third session, in December 2020 (decision 63/14).

Qatar reported that it had taken no action in this regard, since cannabis was not cultivated in that country. Syria reported that no cultivation of cannabis plants or other narcotic plants took place on its territory. (...) In Turkey, the illicit cultivation of cannabis was strictly prohibited, law enforcement bodies took immediate action to address this issue and illicit cannabis fields were destroyed by enforcement officers. (...) Egypt contributed effectively to efforts aiming to enhance international cooperation, especially in the fields of information exchange to combat the smuggling of cannabis and to conduct controlled delivery operations, subsequent to the application of legal procedures to curb smuggling operations.

More than 76C kg of cannabis derivatives, i:ocluding more than 140 kg of liquid cannabis., had been seized in .L taJy in 1975. 47. (...) There \·las no longer any doubt about the harmful effects of cannabis and the Moroccan Government, mindful of the seriousness of the problem, was making great efforts to tackle it, specially since the northern region of the country seemed to be suited to cannabis cultivation. (...) The principal drugs involved were stil ~'- CJpium, cannabis and cannabis resin. The quantity of opium seized had.been 5,917 , compared with 9,225 kg in 1974.

Unless withdrawn earlier, the ministerial regulation shall remain in effect until the order in council designating the drug concerned takes effect, but no later than up to a year after the regulation becomes effective. (...) To apply for an Opium Act exemption regarding cannabis, cannabis resin or the preparations thereof, a fully completed application form with the requested annexes needs to be sent in. (...) If necessary, other natural or legal persons involved in the application or in growing the cannabis will be screened as well. This will enable the Office of Medicinal Cannabis to make the risk of cannabis and other Opium Act drugs disappearing to illegal markets as small as possible.

(l) Action on the draft decision submitted by the Chair on changes in the scope of control of substances: proposed scheduling recommendations by the World Health Organization on cannabis and cannabis-related substances 22. The Chair introduced a draft decision entitled “Changes in the scope of control of substances: proposed scheduling recommendations by WHO on cannabis and cannabis-related substances” (E/CN.7/2019/L.10), by which the Commission would decide to postpone the voting on the recommendations of WHO regarding the critical review of cannabis and cannabis-related substances, in order to provide States with more time to consider the recommendations. 23. (...) Some speakers expressed concern about the public health risks posed by cannabis and cannabis-related substances. 26. One speaker regretted the decision taken by the Commission to postpone the voting on the recommendations of WHO. He welcomed the recommendation by WHO to remove cannabis herb and resin from Schedule IV of the 1961 Convention and urged the international community to come to an agreement on the control of cannabis as soon as possible, in order to facilitate medical research and the medical use of cannabis and cannabis-related substances. 27.

Your Excellency, Secretary-General António Guterres, We write to express our concerns with the ongoing development by the INCB of Guidelines related to medical cannabis. Between 2016 and 2020, a complex multi-stakeholder process unfolded: it resulted in an agreement by Member States to amend the scheduling of “cannabis” and “cannabis resin” within the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, exactly one year ago today. (...) INCB (2019, pp. 2,109) encourages governments to limit access only to single-compound medicines, and stated that “Attempts to market and promote the medical use of cannabis products as “herbal medicines” are inconsistent with the classification of cannabis” (p.3). This is contrary to the treaties (which recognize herbal cannabis medicines, including in indigenous medicine systems, see UN, 1973, p. 111) and opposing WHO (1994; 1996, pp. 178– 184; 2013)’s general guidelines, the Declaration of Alma-Ata (WHO, 1996, p. 179), as well as its cannabis-specific evidence-based assessment (WHO, 2019, pp. 34–41) recognizing the legitimacy of herbal cannabis and resin.