The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is the governing body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The 65th session of CND was held in Vienna on 14–18 March 2022.

Background

CND is the central drug policymaking body of the UN. It aims to provide member states and civil society with the opportunity to exchange expertise, experiences, and information on drug-related matters and to develop a coordinated response to the drugs situation. Membership is made up of representatives from 53 UN member states, allowing for a spread of geographical representation. Ireland is not currently a member of CND.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

While not usually a forum for debate on wider geopolitical issues, the Russian invasion of Ukraine featured heavily at the session. Many members formally expressed their support for Ukraine and their unconditional condemnation of Russia’s actions. The Russian delegation created unprecedented disruption by forcing a vote (which they lost) on an issue that has historically always been decided through consensus. They were blocked from becoming the representative of their region on the CND Bureau, which is the working group responsible for oversight of various budgetary and administrative functions of the UNODC. Their proposed resolution on the misuse of information technologies for illicit drug trafficking and money laundering also failed, after all European Union (EU) countries and others, including the United States and Canada, refused to negotiate Russia’s proposal.

Resolutions and scheduling of substances

CND is the forum in which member states discuss the drugs situation and adopt relevant resolutions. At the 65th session, it adopted four resolutions by consensus on:

• Promoting alternative development as a development-oriented drug control strategy, taking into account measures to protect the environment
• Strengthening international cooperation to address the links between illicit drug trafficking and illicit firearms trafficking
• Promoting comprehensive and scientific evidence-based early prevention
• Intensifying efforts to address the diversion of non-scheduled chemicals frequently used in the illicit manufacture of drugs and proliferation of designer precursors.

CND also has the power to adopt proposals made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) to schedule, de-schedule or re-schedule substances under international control. At the 65th session, it agreed to do so for one cathinone/stimulant, two novel synthetic opiates, and three fentanyl precursors. 

Overarching debate

Overall, debate at the plenary sessions of CND indicated an ongoing shift among many (although not all) member states for a move towards a more human rights and health-led approach to the drugs issue and away from the more criminal-led approach. There was a joint call to action by CND and UNODC with WHO and INCB to ensure availability and access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes. The need for a gender perspective in policies to reflect the specific needs of women also arose quite often.

Side events

As well as plenary sessions, there were over 120 side events held.1 These side events were organised by member states, UN entities, and international or civil society organisations. They covered a wide range of topics related to the supply and demand reduction aspects of the drugs situation, including: cannabis regulation; gender perspectives; the needs of children of people who use drugs; links between drugs and development; prevention; trafficking; cultivation; human rights of people who use drugs; civil society’s role in drug policy; links between drugs and the environment; the death penalty and drug offences; and drug policy and prisons.

Most of the sessions were recorded and are available to watch on YouTube and other fora. Readers are recommended to look through the schedule of events and contact the organisers for recordings and materials from sessions of interest.
 

1  The full schedule of side events at the 65th session is available at: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CND/session/65_Session_2022/mon_14_march_side-event.html