The United Nations Conventions

The general aim of the conventions is to ensure through co-ordinated international action that medically and scientifically useful drugs are available for those purposes without being available for misuse.

The first of the two conventions is the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which applies to opiates/opioids, cocaine and cannabis. It is called “Single” because it was the single convention, which replaced the many that were previously in force.

The second convention is the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which extended controls to LSD, amphetamine, barbiturates and benzodiazepines.

About 150 drugs are controlled under the two UN conventions. Inclusion of a drug under the controls reflects the principle that in general the drug has a legitimate medical or scientific use which must be protected and that its misuse gives rise to public health, social and economic problems.

View the International Controls page.