CND69: Meeting 5 – 11 March 2026
Economic and Social Council
Date: 11 March 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k1e/k1e6ikadjm
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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Speaker 1 [26:30]:

Can you please take your seats, because there seems to be an issue with the gong. So if you can kindly, because Madam Chair would like to start in a minute.

Thank you.


CND · Chair [27:03]:

Good morning. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen, I have the pleasure to chair the plenary proceedings today on behalf of Ambassador Hone Hone as announced. by him last night, we will now continue consideration of agenda item 5B on challenges and future work of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the World Health Organization in the review of substances for possible scheduling recommendations. As foreseen under the organizational arrangements, plenary meetings will take place without interpretation today. As you will recall, according to the organizational arrangements adopted by the Commission on Monday, the intention had been to conclude the consideration of agenda item 5 yesterday and to start immediately with agenda item 4 this morning. However, due to the number of speakers remaining on the list, the Commission was not able to complete the consideration of agenda item 5 within the time initially foreseen. The CND chair explained during the extended bureau meeting this morning that he's aware that some delegations may have prepared their statements under agenda item 5 in the language they normally use and may not be in a position to deliver them this morning without interpretation. In such cases, considering agenda item 5 was announced for Tuesday with interpretation, The Extended Bureau agreed to keep the relevant sub-agenda items open and offer those delegations that cannot deliver their statements under agenda item 5 (b) to (e) without interpretation, the opportunity to deliver these statements after the appointment of the second co-chair of the expert panel. I will now open the floor for the remaining statements under agenda item 5B. I understand that the list of speakers under agenda item 5B to E was closed by Ambassador Hovhannisyan yesterday. I give the floor to Singapore, Mr. Sebastian Tan, Director, Central Narcotics Bureau, Singapore. You have the floor, sir.


Singapore · Director, Central Narcotics Bureau [29:42]:

Good morning, Madam Chair and distinguished delegates. Thank you for giving me the floor. Singapore reaffirms the CND mandate as the decision-making authority for the scheduling of drugs and precursors under the international drug conventions. We also support the WHO ECDD and the INCB’s roles in the review of substances and precursors to strengthen international drug control. Singapore recognises that effective drug control relies on the timely scheduling of dangerous psychoactive substances to prevent its proliferation and abuse, while ensuring medical and scientific access. The WHO ECDD has taken a structured approach to evaluate dangerous drugs for scheduling, which considers therapeutic value, abuse potential, and associated public health risks. This process helps to regulate substances for medical and scientific purposes in a coordinated manner, curbs illicit production, and promotes global cooperation against drug trafficking and abuse. We urge the CND to continue taking a scientific and evidence-based approach towards scheduling substances, and help Member States stay updated on emerging threats and take a proactive approach to the scheduling of harmful drugs. According to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory Data Dashboard, at least 1,438 individual NPS had been detected as of February 2026. This demonstrates that the NPS threat remains persistent and evolving, with the rise in synthetic opioids posing significant risks to health and safety. Many of these psychoactive substances carry unknown pharmacological and toxicological effects. often resulting in sudden and severe health crises that dramatically increase the risk of harm. Additionally, manufacturers frequently alter the molecular structure of existing NPS to create new variations that bypass regulations and evade detection, posing major challenges to law enforcement and public health responses. To tackle the evolving NPS threat effectively, Singapore has been scheduling NPS under our Misuse of Drugs Act. In 2025, we listed seven new NPS. As of February 2026, there are 12 generic groups and 114 individual NPS listed as controlled drugs in the First Schedule to the Act. In 2024, we also introduced a new legislative framework to allow Singapore to take a more proactive approach in NPS control. This framework allows us to deal with substances based on their capacity to produce a psychoactive effect, rather than their chemical structure. The legislation criminalises illicit activities involving such NPS, while providing for exemptions for legitimate uses, such as in food and health products. In the same year, Singapore launched its first forensic laboratory that analyses and investigates suspected NPS. The lab also conducts research on NPS and their psychoactive effects. By combining tighter legislation, advanced forensic science, and stronger inter-agency coordination, Singapore is committed to ensuring our laws remain relevant and responsive to the evolving drug landscape. We will continue to uphold the principles of international drug control and adhere to the three UN drug conventions. Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [33:19]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Japan.


Japan [33:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Commission for its dedicated efforts in the scheduling of new psychoactive substances, NPS. I also extend our appreciation to the WHO and the Secretariat for their steadfast support to Member States in controlling NPS under the three international drug control conventions. The continuous emergence of new NPS and precursor chemicals poses an urgent challenge for the effective implementation of international drug policy. In particular, Japan has grave concerns regarding the growing global threat posed by fentanyl and nitazine type substances. Under the Act on the Control of Narcotics and Psychotropics, Japan strictly regulates fentanyl as a narcotic drug, permitting its export, import, manufacture, distribution, and medical use only by licensed narcotics handlers. With respect to nitazene type substances, which constitute a serious threat worldwide, Japan has promptly taken regulatory action by designating them as controlled substances under domestic law. At present, no specific incidents or health-related harms associated with nitazene use have been identified in Japan. Nevertheless, our relevant domestic agencies will continue working closely together to share information, detect early signs of illicit drug inflows or abuse, and take prompt and effective measures as necessary. Addressing challenges related to NPS and precursor chemicals requires all Member States to cooperate across regions, guided by commonly agreed framework. For each country to make informed decisions regarding substance control, it is essential that WHO and INCB conduct timely risk assessments of NPS and precursors of chemicals, and that member states have prompt access to such information. To effectively disrupt the manufacture and trafficking of illicit drugs, member states must implement comprehensive measures, including drug detection and assessment, regulatory controls, preventive education, and strengthen border management. Japan remains firmly committed to enhancing scientific evidence-based information sharing and strengthening our detection, monitoring, and regulatory capacities for NPS and precursor chemicals in close collaboration with Member States, UNODC, INCB, WHO, and industry stakeholders. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


CND · Chair [36:22]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to Ghana now.


Ghana [36:27]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The review of substances for possible scheduling recommendation presents a range of interconnected challenges for the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the World Health Organization, and the International Narcotic Control Board. Key challenges include the following: 1. Identification and detection of new psychoactive substances. There is an ongoing difficulty in identifying and detecting new psychoactive substances. and the increasing proliferation of non-shadow chemicals, including designer precursors, which are often used in the illicit manufacturing of drugs. This development tests the effectiveness and timeliness of existing treaty-based shadowing procedures. Two, gaps in scientific evidence and constraints in the shadowing process. There's a challenge of scientific review process and opinion shadowing decisions. The WHO assessment rely on availability of robust scientific evidence on non-pharmacological effects, health risks, patterns of misuse and prevalence. However, such data are frequently limited or and even across regions, largely due to varying national monitoring and reporting capacities. The constraints ability to conduct comprehensive evidence-based reviews and may affect the speed at which substances can be recommended for international control. Three, balancing scientific guidance, policy consideration, and treaty implementation. From an implementation perspective, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs faces the challenge of facilitating informed and balanced scheduling decisions. That reflects scientific and evidence while accommodating diverse national context and policy consideration. At the time, the International Narcotic Control Board must monitor and support consistent implementation of scheduling decisions by state parties, including measures to prevent the diversion of controlled and non-scheduled chemicals, whilst ensuring continued availability of substance for legitimate medical and scientific purposes. Four, synthetic drug and non-medical use of prescribers. The growing trade posed by synthetic drugs and the non-medical use of prescription medicine present complex scientific, legal, and regulatory challenges for international scheduling process. These challenges collectively highlight the need of adapted evidence-driven and coordinated international responses. There's also the need for stronger cooperation between Member States and capacity building efforts to support informed decisions and effective implementation at the national level to address evolving threats. Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [39:12]:

Thank you very much. Republic of Korea, you have the floor.


Republic of Korea [39:18]:

Good morning, Madam Chair, and distinguished delegates from the member countries. It is my great honor having the opportunity to introduce a new guideline about the assessment of opioid class narcotic drugs. In collaboration with the UNODC, ROK have developed and proposed an international guideline on the opioid class narcotic drug assessment. It was formally adopted in December 2025. The guideline describes the scientific and standardized evaluation of opioid dependence potential, obvious reliability, and public health impact. We believe that all the member countries should utilize harmonized criteria and methodologies in assessing narcotic drugs. thereby enhancing the consistency and credibility of regulatory practice exercised by member countries. We kindly invite your regulatory authorities and research institutions conducting assessment of drug dependence or abuse potential to take advantage of this guideline. We would appreciate all the members' support in this initiative. In addition, I proudly introduce the Korean Society on Drug Science, KSDS, which is the first international academic society on illegal drug research. The society was established last year in Korea to promote domestic and international scientific research about narcotic drugs. In fact, its first international conference will be held in Seoul, Korea, in March 26 to 27, 2026. The conference will cover a wide range of topics, including drug addiction detection, treatment, and rehabilitation. It also covers the international aspect related to narcotic drug use. For example, wastewater-based epidemiology. You can get more detailed information about the conference from Dr. Soojung Park. She's there. We look forward to your advice, participation, and cooperation. Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [41:52]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Ukraine.


Ukraine [41:57]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, as I'm taking the floor for the first time.


CND · Chair [42:06]:

I would like to, one second.


Ukraine [42:13]:

I would like to warmly congratulate His Excellency Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations in Vienna, on his chairmanship of the 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. We are confident that under his leadership, the Commission will have productive and successful deliberations. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Mr. John Brandolino for his dedicated leadership of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime during this important transitional period. We warmly welcome the appointment of Ambassador Monica Jumo of Kenya as a new Executive Director of the UNODC. and Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna. We look forward to working closely with her and her team. Madam Chair, Ukraine attaches great importance to the effective functioning of the international system for reviewing substances and making scheduling recommendations under international drug control conventions. For Ukraine, our forum is taking place in an exceptionally difficult context. For the fifth consecutive year, Ukraine continues to resist the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation. The war has had a profound negative impact on the public health system, including services related to mental health and substance use disorders. As of 2nd March 2026, around 3,000 objects of medical infrastructure across 120 healthcare facilities have been damaged as a result of actions of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. And among them, around 800 facilities have been fully restored and 318 partially restored, while others rest damaged and not been restored. Ukraine has adopted its national drug policy strategy until 2030, together with operational plan. The strategy marks an important shift from a primarily punitive approach towards people who use drugs to a system focused on social, medical, psychosocial, and preventive measures, while promoting access to treatment, rehabilitation, and harm reduction services for civilians and veterans. In 2025, Ukraine also completed the standardization of medical care for the treatment of substance use disorders. adopting national standards for alcohol use disorders, opioid use, and disorders related to other psychoactive substances.

As a member of the Commission on.

Narcotic Drugs, Ukraine stands ready to contribute actively to strengthening international cooperation and evidence-based drug policy. I thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [45:13]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor now to the United States of America.


United States of America [45:20]:

Thank you, Chair. Over the past 10 years, the international community has made good use of the international scheduling system to address new psychoactive substances and the diversion of precursor chemicals, and to combat the threats posed by synthetic drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine. We have made it more difficult for traffickers to acquire the chemicals used to manufacture these poisons, and there is strong evidence that the actions of the body, this body, have had an impact on the illicit drug markets. However, traffickers have begun to adapt. Other substances, including veterinary medicines like metatomidine and xylazine, or industrial chemicals like BTMPS, have begun to appear in the illicit drug supply. Some of these substances are central nervous system depressants, extending and altering the effects of other drugs. Others appear to be attempts to replace controlled precursors. The presence of these adulterants adds additional complexity to the responses and negative health effects for users. The international system of scheduling for drugs and precursor chemicals is not well equipped to deal with substances like this. And our system for controlling materials and equipment under Article 13 of the 1988 Convention is inadequate due to its voluntary nature and lack of actionable recommendations. The resolution tabled by Mexico will help us achieve progress in this area. At the same time, we encourage the INCB to explore whether these substances may meet criteria for international control. For example, while these substances are not precursors to fentanyl, their co-occurrence with fentanyl in tablet form make them substances frequently used in illicit manufacture of fentanyl in its most commonly misused form, and thus potentially eligible for control under Article 12 of the 1988 Convention. The fact that our control actions are forcing traffickers to adapt is undoubtedly a positive step. However, the increasingly complex drug landscape presents new challenges, and far too many people are still dying and suffering negative health effects as a result of drugs and chemicals. And this commission has an obligation to continue finding solutions. Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [47:53]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to China.


China [47:57]:

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.

At present, the global spread of synthetic drugs continues to escalate. Emerging addictive substances not yet internationally controlled, such as entombed and laughing gas, are constantly appearing, while the nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals, including opioids and psychotropic substances, is becoming increasingly prominent. These substances are flowing in large quantities to young people, leading to a sharp rise in the risks of addiction, mental disorders, overdose, and even death. which may not only cause severe personal and family tragedies, but also pose serious challenges to public health, education, and social development. China hosted a side event yesterday to discuss the risks of non-scheduled synthetic drugs and non-medical use of pharmaceuticals among adolescents. Experts from international organizations and some countries were invited to participate and share best practices in monitoring, early warning, prevention education, early intervention, comprehensive treatment, et cetera. The event called for greater attention to young people as a vulnerable group and for the construction of a robust line of defense to better protect the next generation. We call upon all parties to continue adopting a balanced drug control strategy that emphasizes both demand reduction and supply reduction and to take practical and effective measures across multiple dimensions, including prevention education, drug treatment, rehabilitation, law enforcement, international cooperation, and etc., and work together to address the root causes of the drug problem. Thank you.


CND · Chair [49:47]:

Thank you very much. And now I give the floor to our last speaker, United Kingdom.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [49:56]:

Thank you, Chair. The UK welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion. We remain committed to supporting a robust, science-based, balanced, and transparent process to ensure the effective control of harmful substances while enabling access for medical and scientific purposes. To counter new drug threats, we have put in place an enhanced early warning system, which is designed to improve our response to emerging drug threats, including our legislative response. The UK's early warning system shares data with other countries through the UNODC's Early Warning Advisory on New Psychoactive Substances, which collects and reports on data on detections of new psychoactive substances worldwide. We have strengthened our efforts to tackle synthetic drugs through our legal framework, particularly synthetic opioids, by introducing a generic control on nitazenes last year. aiming to safeguard against those seeking to evade the law by making minor alterations to existing controlled drugs. This proactive approach will help us stay ahead of emerging nitazene variants and strengthen our response to the evolving drug landscape. We have also announced plans to control several other harmful substances, including, among others, several synthetic opioids, semi-synthetic cannabinoids, and atomidate, a substance for which in recent years there is evidence of significant levels of misuse and harm. In addition, the UK's Psychoactive Substances Act, introduced in 2016, provides law enforcement with the power to prosecute the supply of any psychoactive substance that is not already controlled and scheduled by name under the UK's Misuse of Drugs Act. However, we recognize that scheduling challenges remain, and we continue to rely on the expertise of our independent Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, as well as the global community of scientists and policymakers to share data and best practice in this space. We look forward to hearing from our international partners on the scheduling challenges they face and exploring ways to enhance collaboration in tackling emerging synthetic substances. Thank you.


CND · Chair [52:12]:

Thank you very much. Moving on to agenda item 5C, International Narcotics Control Board. I have the pleasure to call again on Professor Sevil Atasoy, President of the International Narcotics Control Board, to introduce the annual report of the Board for 2025. You have the floor, madam.


INCB · President [52:34]:

Thank you. Distinguished Madam Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to present the INCB annual report and precursors report for 2025. However, I regret to inform you that due to the liquidity crisis, the precursors report could not be printed and only limited copies of the annual report are available. Electronic versions of the reports are available in the official languages on the INCB website. The thematic chapter of the annual report is on international cooperation in drug control and the role of INCB. The health and well-being of people worldwide continues to be protected by international cooperation through the framework of the drug control conventions. The system of estimates and assessments for narcotic drug and psychotropic substances is a success story for international cooperation. as the level of diversion of licitly produced controlled substances is very low. INCB learning is helping governments to improve the accuracy of their estimates and assessments, with a view to improving availability for medical and scientific purposes which I will cover under the item 5D. To address the proliferation of highly potent synthetic drugs, INCB encourages governments to use INCB tools, technologies, and training, including the IONICS suite, ChemProfiler, and Snoop. The precursors report provides an update of the world precursor situation and action taken to implement articles 12 and 13 of the 1988 Convention on Precursors and Materials, including non-scheduled chemicals and equipment used in illicit drug manufacture. In March 2025, use of the INCB PEN Online platform prevented the diversion of three tons of 1-boc-4-piperidone, a fentanyl precursor, which could have been used to manufacture up to 1.6 billion potentially fatal doses of fentanyl. The precursors report includes a recommendation that governments identify oversupply and prevent diversion by using all available tools, such as PEN Online, PEN Online Lite, estimates of annual legitimate requirements, and actual trade data. Governments should set up cooperation with various industries, including through mapping national industry landscapes. I urge your governments to implement the recommendations contained in the reports, which I cannot fully cover within the allotted time. In promoting balanced approach to international drug control, INCB reminds that while the conventions provide flexibility in the choice of measures, national systems must ensure that the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is limited exclusively to medical and scientific purposes, and that implementation measures take into consideration the principle of proportionality, the rule of law, and human rights. INCB is committed to reinforcing the cooperative efforts of countries to implement the conventions. address emerging challenges, and safeguard health and welfare. These efforts are dependent on your participation and support, for which I thank you.


CND · Chair [58:15]:

Thank you very much. The floor is now open. I call on the representative of the European Union.


EU · EU [58:27]:

Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Serbia, and Ukraine align themselves with this statement, the full version of which will be published on the website. The European Union and its member states reiterate their strong support to the International Narcotics Control Board and note its important role in assisting governments in the implementation of the three international drug control conventions. We welcome the INCB Annual Report 2025 and its continued efforts to enhance the accessibility, clarity and policy relevance of its findings and recommendations. We particularly welcome the continued focus of the INCB on the rapidly evolving synthetic drug market and the illicit manufacture of synthetic substances, which constitute a major threat to public health, security and social cohesion worldwide. The EU and its member states attach great importance to the Board's forward-looking and evidence-based analysis of these developments, as well as to its practical guidance to support national and international responses. At the same time, we take note with concern of the increasingly critical financial situation of the INCB, which puts the implementation of INCB's mandate at risk. This is why EU Member States allocated general purpose funding to the INCB last year. The EU and its Member States underline the importance of ensuring that the Board has adequate, stable, and predictable resources to effectively fulfil its mandate. mandate, while aiming to increase its efficiency and effectiveness in line with the UN80 initiative. We underline the importance of the INCB's strong and increasing emphasis on human rights, fully in line with the EU drug strategy. We welcome the Board's continued engagement with Member States on the human rights dimension of drug control, including with regard to the right to health and in compliance with the International Drug Control Convention. Access to care, harm reduction, right to security, proportionality of criminal justice responses, the needs of women and children, vulnerable populations, and non-discrimination. In this context, we also reiterate our strong support for the INCB's clear opposition to the death penalty for drug-related offenses. The EU and its member states appreciate the Board's sustained focus on improving access to and availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes. This remains a priority for the EU and its Member States, including in humanitarian and emergency settings, and with regard to the needs of vulnerable populations, including children. Concerning drug precursors, the European Union reiterates its support for the activities of the INCB in preventing the diversion of drug precursors and curtailing the trafficking of designer precursors. Their strategic approach, guided by Resolution 65/3, has provided the most effective framework to confront the challenges associated with designer precursors. The proactive scheduling of esters of amphetamine-type stimulant precursors in 2024 was a remarkable success. It received unanimous support from all members of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, demonstrating a shared commitment to tackling this issue. This initiative notably thwarted criminal efforts, leading them to take nearly two years to identify viable alternative designer precursors. Madam Chair, as we move forward, it is crucial that the INCB continues with this proactive strategy by remaining alert to evolving trends and anticipating the potential threats, the INCB can take decisive actions to schedule the designer precursors most likely to be exploited by criminal groups. This forward-looking approach is indispensable in our ongoing battle against drug-related criminality, ensuring that we remain one step ahead in safeguarding our communities against the harm posed by illicit drugs. Thank you very much.


CND · Chair [1:03:29]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Colombia. Thank you.


Colombia [1:03:35]:

Good morning.

Madam Chair, regarding the annual report of the board, Colombia considers it essential that references to national dynamics be presented with methodological precision and conceptual balance. We acknowledge the global trends described in the report. However, Caution is warranted when attributing the primary driver of global phenomena to the single country, particularly when referring indicators whose methodology is currently under review and whose level of uncertainty has been recognized in the relevant technical forums. Statistical clarity and analytical precision are crucial. to avoid interpretations that could distort the formulation of evidence-based public policies. Colombia has submitted its observations concerning the Board analysis of the national situation, particularly with respect to certain methodologies for the treatment and presentation of data that may lead into inaccuracies, as well as the need to preserve institutional clarity regarding the leadership of national entities responsible for.

Programs and the production of official information.

We consider it essential that international reports accurately reflect official sources, the country's institutional architecture, and the distribution of competences to ensure technical coherence and conceptual fidelity. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:05:24]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Ghana.


Ghana [1:05:28]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, distinguished guests. The International Narcotic Control Board plays a pivotal role in the global drug control framework. As an independent monitoring body, it helps ensure the countries implement the international drug control treaties effectively, whilst addressing emerging challenges in the manufacture, trade, and use of controlled substances. The fully areas are identified that requires your strengthen. One, the monitoring and promotion compliance with the international drug control treaties. The INCB tracks how countries adhere to the UN Drug Convention, providing guidance and recommendation to strengthen compliance. Two, reporting annually on global implementation trends and challenges. It publishes the yearly reports, analyzing worldwide drug control efforts and highlighting emerging issues and best practices that must be strengthened. Three, overseeing the control of precursors and chemicals under the 1988 Convention. The Board regulates substances used in the drug manufacture, helping prevent diversion while facilitating legitimate trade. Four, supporting the Commission in ensuring effective and coordinated treaty implementation. The INCB assists the Commission on Narcotics Drive by providing expertise, data, and advice for harmonizing international actions. Thank you, Madam Chair, for the opportunity.


CND · Chair [1:07:08]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Venezuela.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [1:07:23]:

La República Bolivariana de Venezuela reitera el reconocimiento a la Junta Internacional de Fiscalización de Estupefacientes.


CND · Chair [1:07:32]:

Perdón, perdón, perdón. Discúlpeme de interrumpirlo. Pero si quiere tener su declaración traducida a todos los idiomas oficiales, la posibilidad que anunciamos al comenzar la sesión fue que la haga mañana después de la elección de los co-chairs, de manera que usted pueda tener su intervención traducida.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [1:07:52]:

Muy bien.


CND · Chair [1:07:54]:

Gracias.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [1:07:54]:

Gracias, señora presidenta.

Gracias.


CND · Chair [1:08:02]:

I give now the floor to the United States of America.


United States of America [1:08:07]:

Thank you, Chair. We commend the INCB for the release of the annual report and the precursors report. In particular, we appreciate the Board's attention to the crisis of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs in North America. The United States fully supports the Board in carrying out its treaty-mandated functions, particularly advising and engaging with the states on the implementation of the conventions, regulatory control, and best practices, and in advocating for cooperation in combating drug-related challenges. We call upon all parties to continue their constructive dialogues with the Board and to strive to submit information to the Board in a complete and timely manner. We are deeply concerned that in 2024, less than half of the parties to the Single Convention submitted their mandatory estimates and statistical reports by the deadline, and nearly a quarter of parties did not submit any statistical reports at all. Without this information, the ability of INCB to carry out its functions is greatly reduced. And we remind parties that submission of estimates and statistical returns is mandatory under the Single Convention. Similarly, we are alarmed that 27 states have not submitted any information on precursors seized or legitimate trade and requirements for precursor chemicals through INCB’s Form D for more than 10 years, and that an additional 11 states have not submitted this mandatory information within the past five years. We strongly urge all parties to recommit to the collection and timely submission of data to enable the INCB to effectively identify emerging trends and to analyze weaknesses in precursor control mechanisms. We are also concerned by the low number of countries that have requested to receive pre-export notifications for controlled chemicals. While requesting these notifications is voluntary under our treaties, trade in chemicals that is not notified through PEN creates dangerous blind spots in our ability to monitor the global flow of precursor chemicals. We urge all countries that have not already done so to take advantage of the provisions of Article 10 of the 1988 Convention to request these notifications. The INCB serves a vital role in the operation of the international drug control system, but they are entirely reliant on cooperation with the parties to fulfill their functions. As President Trump has repeatedly stated, the failure of governments to meaningfully address the threat of narcotic drugs and fulfill basic drug control commitments is a serious concern for the United States. The Parties must make every effort to comply with their obligations to provide information to the INCB in a complete and timely manner. Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [1:11:19]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor now to China.


China [1:11:24]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Over the years, INCB has played a vital role in monitoring the world drug situation. conducting project cooperation, overseeing the implementation of international drug control conventions, strengthening substance control, and ensuring the availability of substances for medical and scientific purposes. These efforts have effectively served the global drugs control cause and international cooperation. China commends the INCB for its work and achievements and expresses appreciation to the Chair, members, and staff for their dedication. We also extend our gratitude to the INCB for its support to China’s drug control effort. We highly appreciate our cooperation with INCB. We actively use the PAN and PAN-Lite import and export pre-notification system, support and participates in various initiatives and projects advocated by the INCB, including GRIDS. the special operation on e-cigarettes and task force meeting on precursors and NPS. China will keep support the INCB's work and uphold the international drug control system based on three international drug control conventions. We notice that in the recent precursors report issued by the INCB, Some cases were cited in which chemicals were allegedly original from China, yet These cases were not verified and confirmed at all. Such reference undermine the objectives and impartial chance of the INCB. We also learn from other countries that some parts of INCB's reports are not impartial and acceptable too. It is our hope that INCB will continue to fulfill its role as the treatment monitoring body within its mandate under the Convention, maintain an impartial position and adhere to the principle of objective science and evidence in the drafting of any report, progress report, and other documents, as well as deliberation on the scheduling of substance. Thank you, Chairman.


CND · Chair [1:14:33]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the Netherlands.


Netherlands (Kingdom of the) [1:14:39]:

Thank you, Chair. The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. I wish to add some comments in my national capacity. We would like to express first our gratitude for the important work of the INCB and its contribution to the international cooperation on drug-related matters. The latest INCB annual report shows that this cooperation remains urgently needed. When reading the report, one can conclude that across all continents, existing challenges persist and new ones arise. Only together we can address these challenges effectively. We therefore strongly support the Board’s recommendations on strengthening international cooperation. We fully endorse the INCB’s call in its report for balanced approaches. The INCB report concludes that the trafficking of illicit drugs like cocaine and the production of synthetic drugs are at unacceptable levels in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, this is a fact. And although law enforcement agencies put in great efforts and achieve good results, this challenge is not being solved by focusing on the reduction of supply alone. We also need to reduce the demand for these substances, breaking down criminal business models, and improving public health at the same time. And in this regard, also relevant is the introduction in the Netherlands of a new regulation on new psychoactive substances, as is mentioned in the INCB report. Chair, the Netherlands value our close cooperation and good communication with the INCB. The INCB report states that the experimental phase of the Dutch cannabis supply chain experiment has started in April 2025. This is correct, and I wish to add that in the experiment, the coffee shops of only 10 municipalities are now allowed to sell the cannabis, only coming from specific cultivators. In this way, we have closed the chain, excluding criminal groups from the supply side. The aim of this experiment is to measure the effects of health, public order, crime, and safety. It is being carried out for a limited period in time, with annual evaluations. And the Netherlands will not jump to any conclusion during this experiment. At the end, we will draw conclusions and consider recommendations for future cannabis policy based on scientific monitoring and evaluation, which we will, of course, share with INCB. In the INCB report, the Netherlands was also mentioned with regards to the number of clandestine labs producing amphetamines and methamphetamines. We remain vigilant in our efforts to detect and dismantle these. Although we have seen some evidence of illegal trafficking in precursors for fentanyl, as mentioned in the INCB report, we have fortunately not yet seen the illegal production of synthetic opioids in the Netherlands. The Netherlands will keep the INCB informed on this, as well as on other topics in our national policies. Chair, let me conclude by renewing my country's support for the INCB. and assuring you of our continued commitment to the excellent cooperation with the Board. Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [1:17:46]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor now to the Russian Federation.


Russian Federation [1:17:51]:

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Distinguished colleagues, the Russian Federation consistently supports the activities of the International Narcotics Control Board. within the mandate defined by the three UN drug control conventions. This effort is particularly relevant given that an increasing number of countries are openly violating their international obligations. They expect that the Board continues to maintain a principled and impartial position, for such violations are unacceptable. particularly in the context of legalizing drugs for non-medical purposes. They oppose the understanding that the Board, under the pretext of the liquidity crisis. They expect that the decisions adopted by the CND in December 2025 help to ensure continuous regular budget funding for the Boards, conventional activities and restore the traditional financing model that protects the Board's independence and impartiality under Article 9 of the 1961 Convention. We look forward to productive cooperation with the Board and all parties concerned, as we advance Russia’s initiative to put under international control four methedrone precursors and one clandestine methadone precursor, which we have submitted to the UN Secretary-General. The rapid spread of illicit precursors, including those not scheduled under the Conventions, poses a serious threat to all States. They are confident that implementation of our proposal will significantly contribute to countering synthetic drugs and to achieving our common goal to protect public health and safety. They appreciate that cooperation under the INCB Learning Initiative, which allows for organization of scientific and practical training aimed and increasing availability of drugs for medical purposes, improving the States' reporting to the INCB and ensuring the overall implementation of the Conventions. With our support, two trainings were held for African countries in 2025. Project proposals for a number of other regions are currently under development. Madam Chair, the Russian Federation will keep enhancing cooperation with the INCB, while fully complying with our international legal obligations in this area. We will continue to advocate for a stronger mandate and financial sustainability of this unique independent body in order to preserve the international drug control framework and address and counter the world drug problem. Thank you for your attention.


CND · Chair [1:21:08]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor now to Pakistan.


Pakistan [1:21:14]:

Thank you very much, worthy Chair, distinguished delegates. Islamic Republic of Pakistan presents its profound gratitude to this esteemed Commission, the INCB, and UNODC for the paramount role played in countering the world drug problems. We do highly commend the INCB for its meticulous data collection, in-depth analysis and preparation of a comprehensive and insightful report, which do assist us, the Member States, in reviewing national policies and aligning them with the emerging drug challenges. Respected Chair, being a responsible member of the international community and signatory to all UN Conventions, Pakistan remains steadfast in its resolve to combat drug trafficking in all its manifestations. Yet, the growing complexity of the global drug problem, driven by the proliferation of synthetic drugs and misuse of advanced technological tools such as the dark web and encrypted communications, has considerably intensified this challenge. Accordingly, Pakistan has implemented robust enforcement measures, including enhanced surveillance and monitoring of vulnerable areas at all entry and exits. During last five years, these efforts have resulted in half a million successful counter-narcotics operations and seizures over 1500 metric tons of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals. These achievements are the testament to our unwavering resolve and zero tolerance policy against the drug trafficking. Madam Chair, Pakistan assures this august Commission that its drug control legislation is fully aligned with international drug control regime. We remain committed to ensuring the availability of controlled substances for medical and legitimate uses, adhering to a well-defined regulatory framework in line with the INCB guidelines and international protocols. We stand ready to strengthen international cooperation in addressing the world drug problem and reaffirm our support to this Commission and the broader global community in this joint responsibility. I thank you, respected Chair.


CND · Chair [1:23:24]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor now to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.


SPT · SPT · Member, Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture [1:23:34]:

Dear Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I am honored to address you on behalf of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture in my capacity as its member. I would like to begin by thanking you for giving the opportunity to speak to this 69th session of the CMD under the agenda item number 5, that is truly relevant also to the work of the SPT. In this context, I focus on a point that I consider central: the value of the INCB's recommendations on human rights in the implementation of drug policies, as Madam Chair has previously stated in the introduction. As the Board has clearly stated in its 2024 annual report, human rights are not an ancillary element of international drug conventions, but a prerequisite for them. The Board does not limit itself to a general reminder, but precisely defines what it means to integrate human rights into drug policies. These principles are clearly anchored in the UNHCR 2016, of which we are celebrating ten years. In the twenty years of SACOMIT visits to places of deprivation of liberty and engagement with the national preventive mechanisms, the other pillar of OPCAT, We have directly observed the negative impact of drug policies on effectiveness of the torture prevention strategies, be this in prisons, police stations, compulsory drug treatment centers, or public or private rehabilitation centers. For these reasons, the subcommittee recommends that States address the negative impact of drug policies in places of detention in a structural way, ensure effective treatment of people who use drugs, strengthening their efforts in harm reduction strategies. In its resolution 60/26, the Human Rights Council also calls upon all states to consider alternatives to incarceration, conviction and punishment. They should be minimized, replaced by strategies based on prevention, harm reduction, outpatient treatment and community care. I draw your attention to recent SPT end-of-mission statements, where we express most serious concern over the situation observed in so-called drug rehabilitation centres, often operating privately, in some cases without adequate regulatory frameworks and in conditions and practices that pose a serious risk of ill-treatment. In the SPT Annual Report 2024, we included advice to national preventive mechanisms to systematically include national drug policies in their monitoring mandate. Concluding, I would highlight that only by fully integrating human rights into drug policies can we build more effective, more just responses that are truly oriented towards the dignity of every person. I thank you for your attention.


CND · Chair [1:27:26]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the Society for the Enhancement of Global Understanding.


HIDTA · Executive Director, San Diego Imperial Valley HIDTA [1:27:38]:

Good morning, Madam Chair.

My name is David King, and I am the Executive Director of the San Diego.

Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Located in the state of California, along the southwest border of the United States, I'm honored to have the opportunity to address the distinguished delegates of the United Nations 69th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. And I speak to you as a retired police officer, special agent, and executive director with over 36 years of experience in the field of narcotic law enforcement in the state of California. In 1996, the state of California was the first in the nation to legalize medical marijuana, removing criminal penalties and prosecution for patients and primary caregivers.

And essentially laying the foundation for the Medical.

Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, and eventually outright legalization of recreational use in 2016. Nearly simultaneous to passage of recreational marijuana use, The state of California also passed Proposition 47, lowering the criminal penalties for petty crimes such as Grand Theft, larceny, forgery, check fraud, and most importantly, personal drug use.

In the wake of lowering criminal penalties for theft related crimes and personal amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and deadly fentanyl.

Data collected.

From law enforcement agencies and prosecutors revealed a significant increase in reoffending and a significant drop in sentencing and arrests.

Due partly to the diminished incentive for businesses.

To report thefts and essentially decriminalization of drug use in the years following passage of Prop 47. Fewer defendants participated in in-custody drug treatment programs or other mandatory supervised services because the incentives for doing so to avoid prosecution and significant jail sentences had evaporated.

The stated intentions of reducing penalties for low-level drug offenders and criminal justice reforms were to replace criminal justice responses with social services and to reduce incarcerations.

But the results have been more reoffending and less participation in effective drug treatment programs. According to the Manhattan Institute, Proposition 47 in California has revealed that more drug and theft offenders are in fact becoming more chronic offenders despite the targeted rehabilitation programs.

That accompanied the softer criminal justice responses.

California was not alone in its efforts to reduce penalties for personal use drug possession, with the state of California introducing and passing Measure 110 in 2020, decriminalizing possession of small amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. As the United States has been grappling with an epidemic of fentanyl and other drug related overdose deaths the past decade that at its peak in 2022 claimed over 110,000 lives, Americans are starting to realize that radical laws aimed at reducing the criminal penalties for drug use leads to more open drug use and overdoses across.

All demographics.

I'm happy to report that voters in California and lawmakers in.

Oregon have recently repealed the disastrous decriminalization laws that led to increased overdoses, crime, and homelessness in their states.

I am also optimistic to report that, according to CDC data, overdose deaths across all demographics in the United States have decreased 26%, representing over 30,000 fewer deaths.

While there is much more work to do as public safety, public health, and prevention professionals. I can say with certainty that every country in the.

World should prioritize the safety of its citizens by educating youth about the dangers of drug use.

And arming your law enforcement.

And prosecutors with effective laws aimed at holding those individuals who increase the demand for illicit drugs.

And drive the black market accountable for their actions. In the context of addiction, intervention, treatment, and recovery, consequences matter.

Transnational criminal organizations are increasing their presence in many countries around the world.

And everyone here can take it upon themselves to protect their most vulnerable populations. We stand proudly with the UN Commission on Narcotic.

Drugs in their mission, stopping those responsible for fueling drug addiction, violence, and death around the world.

Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:32:40]:

Thank you very much. I remind speakers to try to stick to the three minutes time limit, please. And now I give the floor to the Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales. Thanks.


CELS · Consortium of civil society organizations defending human rights and democracy, especially in Latin America [1:32:56]:

Thanks, Madam Chair.

I am making this statement on behalf of a consortium of civil society organizations working in defense of human rights and democracy, especially in Latin America. In its 2025 annual report, the INCB expressed concern over the increasing extrajudicial killing of individuals suspected of drug trafficking, noting that this violates human rights and international drug control conventions. One of the problems we are now facing in Latin America is the use of the counter-terrorism framework to combat criminal organizations. The term narco-terrorism is used to frame a diverse set of problems. It is a deliberate conflation of categories that seek to introduce a new wave of emergency measures and militarization. This is not about relativizing the gravity of organized crime activities. These have consolidated form of criminal governance, which have resulted in serious human rights violations. However, the way it was configured after 11-S in 2001, the use of the counter-terrorism framework implies militarization, the suspension of guarantees, and high levels of state opacity. Your Excellencies, the consequences of the failure of the war on drugs are well documented. These consequences are further intensified by the expansion of the concept of narco-terrorism. In recent months, this problem has been taken to the extreme through the use of this category as a tool to enable military intervention in disregard of international law. Countries adopting this framework quickly expand into persecute political dissidents, vulnerable sectors such as migrants and indigenous peoples, and to string civic space. The problem isn't only the type of counterterrorism policies. The narco-terrorism narrative renders invisible two key dynamics of organized crime: state complicity and its interconnectedness with the economy.

The problem is criminal governance, not terrorism.

They must put end to the war on drugs, strengthen control over financial flows, and guarantee independent investigation. If local authorities don't ensure access to justice and accountability, the international community must step in to prevent impunity. We urge the CND to work alongside the State to issue recommendations to limit the use of military tools in addressing these problems and to restrict the state of exception under the guise of narco-terrorism. We call on the State to refrain from using the counter-terrorist narrative when addressing organized crime. and to develop comprehensive policies with a particular focus on the most vulnerable communities without turning them into war zones. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:36:17]:

Thank you very much. So we have finished our list of speakers. I would like to propose that the report of the session contains, as has always been the case in previous reports, the recommendation to the Economic and Social Council that it takes note of the report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2025. Any comments? Thank you. I ask the President of INCB if there are comments or observations.


INCB · President [1:36:56]:

No.


CND · Chair [1:36:57]:

Thank you very much. We now continue with agenda item 5D, international cooperation to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion. I now call on Tatiana Gell. of the Drugs, Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch of UNODC. You have the floor.


UNODC · Representative, Drugs Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch [1:37:29]:

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning, Excellencies and distinguished delegates.

I am here to deliver the statement on behalf of Mr. Justice Tettey, the Chief.

Of the Drugs Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch of UNODC.

Excellencies.

Kindly allow me to address this commission on a critical global health priority, preventing the diversion and non-medical use of controlled substances because of the harms they can cause, but ensuring adequate access for medical and scientific purposes. Some of the drugs and psychotropic substances under the international drug conventions, be it analgesics, anxiolytics, or others, are.

Essential for pain management.

In emergencies and humanitarian settings, and for use in surgical procedures.

The international drug conventions to which you are signatories affirm the need to make these substances available for medical and scientific purposes.

The 2016 UNGASS on drugs affirmed this obligation. It called on us to remove barriers caused by non-optimal legislative and regulatory frameworks and health systems. while preventing diversion and misuse.

Yet, despite the strong framework, global disparities remain profound. 7% of the world's population consumes more than 90% of medical morphine equivalents.

While millions in low and middle income countries suffer preventable pain and untreated health conditions due to limited access.

And yet, member states have not matched the implementation of these obligations with.

Commensurate funding. Since 2013, UNODC has supported a handful of Member.

States in achieving the essential balance between improving access and strengthening safeguards to prevent diversion and misuse. Through policy and legislative reviews.

Supply chain assessments, capacity building, and tools to prevent and detect diversion, our program has helped countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Fiji, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste. Unfortunately, efforts to address this issue more globally continues to be hampered by perennial shortage of donor funding.

In addition, access for scientific and forensic purposes is more critical today than ever.

As new harmful substances emerge worldwide, with more than 120 substances added to the.

International drug control conventions in the past decade, laboratories engaged in forensic drug analysis, toxicology, and clinical diagnostics require reliable access to controlled substances. This access is essential.

For accurate drug identification, to support justice systems, and to guide effective responses to drug overdoses and other public.

Health emergencies.

In 2025, UNODC supported Member States by providing more than 10,000 samples of controlled substances for scientific use.

However, many countries were unable to benefit from this assistance due to persistent barriers to access. Addressing these obstacles is essential to ensure that all Member States can strengthen their capacity to detect.

Identify, and respond to emerging drug threats, and provide scientifically reliable evidence for court proceedings. Excellencies, ensuring access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes is both a legal obligation and a necessity.

UNODC calls on all Member States to invest in the systems, safeguards, and capacities needed to protect people from the harms of non-medical use.

To prevent the diversion of controlled substances, but to ensure that these measures do not create scarcity or barriers.

To legitimate medical and scientific access.

Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:41:35]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Dilukshi Puvendran of WHO. Thank you.


WHO [1:41:44]:

Madam Chair.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, access to controlled medicines is both a medical necessity and a human rights obligation.

Every person has the right to timely, affordable, and non-discriminatory access to essential medicines.

For pain relief, mental health care, palliative treatment, and substance use disorders. At the same time, states must prevent diversion and non-medical use in line with the international drug control conventions. National policies must therefore strike a careful balance, ensuring medical access while safeguarding individuals and communities.

In 2025, the World Health Organization issued new evidence-based recommendations to support member states in achieving this balance. Together with complementary good practice statements, they promote national controlled medicines policies that are scientifically sound, rights-based, and context-sensitive. WHO calls on governments to strengthen procurement and supply chain systems to ensure accurate forecasting of national needs, continuous monitoring of availability and affordability.

And the use of appropriate technologies to enhance traceability, prevent diversion, reduce stockouts, and minimize administrative burdens. Sabi Ucho underscores the importance of sustainable procurement mechanisms.

That secure quality-assured, safe, and cost-effective medicines, and encourages countries to evaluate the potential benefits and risks of local production.

Efficient, proportionate import and export procedures, including electronic systems, are recommended to facilitate timely access, including during humanitarian emergencies. Legal and regulatory frameworks must protect patient safety without creating unnecessary barriers to legitimate medical and scientific use. Controlled medicines should be available in acceptable and affordable formulations, including pediatric formulations, and safeguards such as appropriate packaging should not undermine access.

Drug scheduling decisions should be grounded in robust scientific evidence and informed by inclusive consultation, prioritizing optimal health outcomes.

Laws and policies that impede access for patients with legitimate clinical needs should be reviewed and amended.

With respect to prescribing, dispensing, and administration.

WHO promotes evidence-based, non-discriminatory clinical practice guidelines and proportionate regulatory measures.

That enable health professionals to work to the full scope of their competencies.

It calls for the availability of opioid agonist treatment in all.

Settings where clinically indicated, including criminal justice settings, and for the implementation of prescription monitoring and pharmacovigilance systems that enhance safety while protecting patient privacy and avoiding unjust scrutiny.

WHO further urges governments to prevent misleading marketing and to establish transparent mechanisms to manage conflicts of interest. Finally, WHO highlights the critical role of education and knowledge?

Comprehensive training for healthcare professionals on the safe and appropriate use of controlled medicines.

Should be embedded in core curricula and continuing education.

At the same time, patients and the public in general must receive balanced, accurate information on the therapeutic benefits.

And potential risks of these medicines?

Taken together, WHO's new series of policy recommendations advance a balanced, rights-based approach, ensuring that controlled medicines are available, accessible, and affordable.

All who have clinical need, while implementing proportionate safeguards to prevent misuse, diversion, and harm.

They reaffirmed the shared responsibility of member states to align public health.

Human rights, and drug control objectives in a coherent and evidence-informed manner.

Yet significant gaps remain in the global evidence base, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Research rarely addresses both access and safety together, and many policy areas lack robust context specific data. No country can meet this challenge alone. We must strengthen international cooperation, investing in inclusive research, improving data systems, and sharing knowledge across regions and income levels.

By working together, we can ensure policies that protect public health.

Uphold human rights, and guarantee safe and affordable access to controlled medicines for all. I thank you.


CND · Chair [1:46:59]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the European Union. Oh, no, sorry, I was too fast. I give the floor to Professor Sibel Atasoy, President of the INCB. You have the floor, madam.


INCB · President [1:47:19]:

Thank you, madam Chair. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, in the 10 years since the 2016 General Assembly special session on the world drug problem, the international community has gained awareness of the importance of ensuring the availability of opioid analgesics and psychotropic substances for pain management, treatment of mental health and neurological conditions, and opioid agonist therapy. Political commitments and practical national policies prove that access can be scaled up even in low-cost settings. INCB is supporting Member States through the INCB Learning Programme, supplementary reports on availability, trend analysis, and engagement with WHO, UNODC, and civil society. However, global progress in improving availability yet to be reflected in data reported to INCB. Morphine is one of the most affordable opioids for pain treatment and palliative care. However, in 2024, the year for which the latest data is available to INCB, 82% of the world population mainly in low and middle-income countries, consumed only 14% of the total amount of morphine used worldwide for pain management. 86% of the global consumption continued to be concentrated in Europe and North America. Barriers include regulatory requirements, cultural issues, a lack of training, and critically, affordability. Tracking consumption of psychotropic substances remains a challenge, as only around half of the countries provide consumption data. Analysis of statistical data received by INCB shows that while some progress has been achieved, substantial regional disparities persist, including for substances in the WHO model list of essential medicines. In 2024, the antiepileptic medication phenobarbital continued to be the most manufactured psychotropic substance by weight. Manufacture of the anxiolytic diazepam more than halved. Record quantities of methylphenidate, used for the treatment of ADHD, were manufactured and consumed. Alprazolam, a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety, was the most consumed psychotropic substance. More details are available in the INCB technical publication on psychotropic substances, which is being launched today together with a technical publication on narcotic drugs. Ensuring availability is critically important during humanitarian emergencies, where access to controlled medicines must be ensured. International travelers carrying controlled substances for personal medical use must navigate complex regulations and controls. The Board encouraged countries to introduce and update legislation to permit entry of travelers legitimately holding controlled medicines. Improving availability and access requires an integrated approach that also address affordability. The UNGASS outcome document, recommendations, and the Board's availability reports remain a key reference for joint efforts, and INCB looks forward to continuing to support your governments to this end. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:52:21]:

Thank you very much. The floor is open. I call on the representative of the European Union.


EU · EU [1:52:32]:

Thank you, madam Chair. Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Serbia, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine aligned themselves with this statement. The full version will be published on the website. The European Union and its member states reaffirm their strong commitment to ensuring the access and availability of internationally controlled narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes, while preventing their diversion into illicit channels and non-medical use. We continue to underline that achieving this balance requires a comprehensive, evidence-based and health-centered approach, addressing the full range of existing barriers. These barriers include legislative and regulatory obstacles, lack of resources, weaknesses in health and supply systems, insufficient training of healthcare professionals, limited data and monitoring capacities, lack of research for treatment approaches, as well as issues related to affordability, stigma, and lack of awareness. The EU attaches particular importance to strengthening national and regional capacities through international cooperation, including regulatory cooperation, technical assistance, data collection, coordinated efforts for research and innovation, and exchange of good practices. We believe that effective collaboration among governments, international organizations, health authorities, academia, civil society, community-led organizations, and the private sector is essential to improve access while ensuring the safe, rational, and appropriate use of controlled medicines. In this context, we underline the central role of the INCB in supporting the implementation of the conventions and facilitating international cooperation. We recall the importance of the effective implementation of CND Resolution 67/2 and remain committed to translating its commitments into concrete action, as important challenges remain in its implementation, including regulatory complexity, limited institutional capacity, insufficient data, and fragile health and supply systems, particularly in resource constrained and crisis affected settings. We stress the importance of ensuring access and availability of adequate and effective treatment, care and support services for people in pain, mental health conditions, and drug use disorders, including risk and harm reduction services, and of promoting integrated, people-centered, and non-stigmatizing health responses. The EU continues to support research and innovation for medical and scientific purposes, including the generation of robust evidence on needs, consumption patterns, and treatment outcomes. We underline the importance of inclusive research, including a gender perspective and age-appropriate approaches. The EU and its member states remain deeply concerned about persistent global inequities in access to essential controlled medicines, particularly in low and middle income countries and in emergency contexts, including situations caused by natural disasters, humanitarian crisis, and armed conflict. We stress the need to strengthen preparedness and resilience of health systems and supply chain. Madam Chair, we therefore call for renewed political commitment, enhanced international cooperation, and sustained investment to achieve the right balance between ensuring access for legitimate medical and scientific purposes and preventing diversion and non-medical use. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:56:58]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Colombia.


Colombia [1:57:04]:

Thank you. Madam Chair, With regard to access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes, Colombia considers it a priority to advance towards ensuring an appropriate balance between their availability for legitimate uses and the prevention and control of their diversion. This balance is essential to guarantee the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

In Colombia.

We have identified various barriers associated with the complexity of administrative procedures, control processes, and recent transformations within the health system. In response to these challenges, the country is moving forward with updating the regulations related to the monitoring and control of controlled substances, with the aim of harmonizing existing procedures, optimizing the use of available resources, and facilitating timely access to these medicines. Likewise, We have begun the progressive implementation of a national prescription application that will be used by the different actors in the country's health system and will help strengthen traceability, transparency, and the monitoring of access to and the appropriate use of medicines containing controlled substances. Colombia will continue to promote a balanced approach. based on scientific evidence, public health, human rights, and institutional responsibility that enables a more effective and coherent response to the evolving challenges associated with the world drug situation. Thank you.


CND · Chair [1:58:54]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Singapore.


Singapore · Director, Central Narcotics Bureau [1:59:00]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. As a party to the three international drug conventions, Singapore has established a robust framework of laws and regulations to ensure the availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes. This includes the Misuse of Drugs Act, the Health Products Act, and the Medicines Act. We conduct regular reviews and updates to maintain the balance between accessibility for legitimate purposes and stringent control to curb misuse. For instance, internationally controlled substances with no medical use remain accessible for research and scientific purposes by limiting the access under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations to a restricted list of individuals for scientific purposes. Singapore is committed to advancing healthcare and harnessing technology to enhance robustness of our operations while maintaining rigorous safety standards. From 1 October 2025, Singapore implemented the issuance of verifiable electronic licences and authorisations for the import and export of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and restricted substances. The authenticity and legitimacy of these licences and authorisations can now be verified online in real time by all stakeholders in the supply chain, including the applicant, overseas suppliers, overseas competent authorities, and customs officers. Verifiable digital signatures and tamper-evident features in these digital licences and authorisations minimise the risk of fraudulent licences and authorisations being used for diversion of such controlled substances. Overseas authorities will now receive our licences and authorisations in a more timely manner, as the digital format allows for quicker transmission via e-mail rather than post. Last year, Singapore also updated its Singapore Standard on Guidelines for the Supply and Delivery of Medication, allowing the delivery of prescribed medications containing narcotic drugs to patients’ homes, while incorporating measures to minimise loss or diversion and maintaining quality of the medications during delivery. This improved the accessibility of prescription drugs to patients who require them for medical treatment. Singapore is making mental health a key national priority. We will expand acute psychiatry services across our hospitals to improve patients’ access to mental health care when they urgently need it. A new medical practice guide has been launched to standardise mental health assessment and referral procedures to ensure consistent care. In addition, starting from this year, general practitioners will begin managing mild to moderate cases of anxiety and depression in the community. Social service agencies can therefore refer patients with moderate mental health needs to a general practitioner. General practitioners under a Mental Health GP Partnership Programme also gain access to cheaper psychiatric medications. These efforts will improve patient access to psychotropic substances commonly used to treat mental health conditions. We emphasise that the medical use of controlled substances must be supported by comprehensive and robust scientific evidence proving both their therapeutic benefits and efficacies. We believe that a balanced and comprehensive approach to drug control is essential when implementing the international drug control treaties to ensure that the international drug control system is not weakened in the process. Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [2:02:35]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Angola.


Angola [2:02:40]:

Good morning, Madam Chair. Thank you for the floor. I would like to highlight.

That my statement is in French, if you allow me.


CND · Chair [2:02:55]:

Si vous voulez parler en français et que votre intervention soit traduite dans toutes les langues officielles, vous pouvez le faire demain, après l'élection du deuxième co-chair.


Angola [2:03:10]:

Merci beaucoup.


CND · Chair [2:03:16]:

And I give the floor to Ghana.


Ghana [2:03:20]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, Excellency, distinguished guests. In implementing the international drug control treaties, Ghana has demonstrated its commitment to concerted international cooperation to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion. In this regard, Ghana has taken bold steps in reforming its drug control policies, including the following: 1. Passing the Narcotic Control Commission Act 2020 (Act 1019) to reform the drug control policies; 2. Rolling out guidelines for controlled substances to ensure availability for medical and scientific purposes; 3. Through calibrated innovation, Firm enforcement and human health centered intervention, we are confident of achieving our set goals in building resilient, well-informed, and well-equipped communities in addressing the drug problem. This include collaboration with international partners such as India, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime to combat drug trafficking and diversion, and the last sequel to regional dialogue Ghana will be hosting the 2026 Conference of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals. This platform will advance evidence-based practice, strengthen the addiction workforce, and deepen collaboration among policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. I thank you for the opportunity, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [2:05:01]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Belgium.


Belgium [2:05:08]:

To respect the imposed time constraints, a longer version of this statement is available for publication. Mrs. Chair, access to controlled medicines for medical and scientific purposes is not only a treaty obligation under the international drug control conventions, but is also a matter of human dignity and the right to health. Consistent with this approach, Belgium wishes to draw attention to the Conference room paper entitled "Chair's Summary of the Regional Consultation on Access and Availability of Controlled Medicines for Medical and Scientific Purposes in Africa" held on the margins of the 68th CND Thematic Debate last October here in Vienna. This consultation, co-organized by UNODC, the African Union Commission, and my country, Belgium, Clearly reaffirmed that improving access requires policy coherence that improving access, sorry, requires policy coherence that translates into capacity building, stronger data systems, and regional cooperation while fully upholding safeguard against misuse and diversion. Turning policy commitments into practice requires investing in people as much as in systems. This is why Belgium supported last year the establishment of the African chapter of the UNODC Young Doctors Network. Young medical professionals are key agents of change and a real opportunity to accelerate progress from the ground up. But if we are serious about leaving no patient behind, we must ask: who remains the furthest behind? Recent evidence published in The Lancet, with contributions from experts of Belgium's Institute of Tropical Medicine, underscores an urgent and often overlooked reality: children in need of controlled medicines face disproportionate barriers to access. These studies show that without access to controlled medicines, effective care to relieve serious health suffering in children is simply not possible. Reversing this situation starts with recognizing children's specific vulnerabilities, acting on them by reflecting children needs in health policies, ensuring child appropriate formulations such as morphine syrup, improving child specific data, and tackling stigma and unfounded fears of addiction despite appropriate prescription. Importantly, this is not a question of starting from scratch. The necessary pharmaceutical and health policy instruments already exist, and evidence shows that significant improvements are achievable when applied coherently. Yet in many settings they remain fragmented, underused, and rarely adapted to controlled medicines or to children's needs. Too often, policy frameworks are still adult-centered and do not adequately reflect children's distinct therapeutic requirements, development consideration, and ethical safeguards. Translating the WHO guideline on balanced national controlled medicines policies into practice therefore requires a deliberate shift. Placing children at the center of policy design and implementation, with a meaningful involvement of families, caregivers, and frontline health workers. Mrs. Chair, a balanced system is one that prevents diversion, but equally one that relieves suffering. From regulatory reform to capacity building to use engagement to pediatric access. These are not separate discussions. They are interconnected elements of the same responsibility. Belgium remains committed to working with UNODC, WHO, INCB and regional partners to ensure that balanced drug policies translate into real access for all patients, especially the most vulnerable. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:09:29]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to South Africa.


South Africa [2:09:34]:

Thank you, madam Chair, for giving me the floor. Access to medicines is a cornerstone of universal health coverage and a critical enabler of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. Ensuring that controlled substances are available for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion for illicit use is both a legal obligation under international drug control treaties and a moral imperative to uphold the dignity and the health of our people. Yet, despite progress, Africa continues to record the lowest consumption of controlled medicines worldwide. This dark reality underscores the urgency of our collective action. Stringent control measures, while necessary to prevent misuse, may inadvertently hinder access for patients requiring palliative care, mental health treatment, and pain management. We must, therefore, pursue a balanced approach, one that safeguards against diversion while ensuring legitimate medical needs are met. Affordability must also be recognized as a critical dimension, Accessibility, availability, and affordability are not interchangeable concepts. Rather, they are complementary pillars that together ensure holistic care. Chair, South Africa has put into place robust legislative frameworks, policies, and strategies to strengthen access to controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, also known as SAPRA, is mandated to license and schedule substances and to update prescription rules in a manner that ensures access to medicines, including controlled medicines, while preventing diversion for illicit use. The Pharmacy Act regulates the pharmaceutical profession, covering training and registration, the practice of pharmacy, and the operation of pharmacies. Its overarching goal is to protect public health and ensure equitable access to quality pharmaceutical services. And lastly, the Essential Medicines List and Standard Treatment Guidelines serve as critical instruments to promote equitable access to affordable, quality medicines across the country. These measures, in our view, reflect South Africa's commitment to ensuring that accessibility, availability, and affordability are treated as complementary pillars of holistic care. Chair, South Africa places emphasis on global cooperation and shared Mechanisms such as pooled procurement, technical cooperation, and alignment with WHO and INCB frameworks can help address persisting challenges of accessibility, availability, and affordability. We welcome the recently released WHO Guidelines on Balanced National Controlled Medicines Policies, which provide valuable direction for ensuring both medical access and patient safety. Chair, to conclude, we commend the UNODC and Belgium for their leadership. in jointly hosting a workshop with the African Union to accelerate the implementation of international drug policy commitments aimed at improving access to and availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes on the African continent. Access to controlled medicines must not be a privilege for a few. but a universal right. Regional and international cooperation remain essential to advance this shared objective. I thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [2:13:47]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Kenya.


Kenya [2:13:52]:

Honorable Chair, thank you for giving me the floor as we discuss this pertinent subject on availability of narcotic and psychotropic substances for both medical and scientific purposes. The Kenyan delegation appreciates the work of the Office of the United Nations on Drugs and Drug Control and the International Narcotic Control Board within their respective mandates in supporting Member States to ensure the access and availability of controlled substances within their jurisdiction. Honourable Chair, while addressing access and affordability of controlled substances, two very critical aspects cannot be overemphasized. One is that narcotic and psychotropic substances are highly addictive and prone to abuse. And secondly, that despite their addictive nature, they have a variety of medical uses, particularly in relief of pain. This is as provided in the 3 international conventions on drug control that facilitates access to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion into the illicit market. Kenya has taken advantage of this provision through the competent agency, our Pharmacy and Poisons Board, that has ensured adequate supply of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes within the country. Honorable Chair, one of the major challenges identified as inhibiting access to controlled substances remains affordability and fluctuation of prices in developed countries. A majority of palliative care facilities are privately owned. Narcotic pain medication is limited, therefore, to those that can afford. We must, in these forums, address the pricing and affordability of medicines containing controlled substances. We further call for partnership and support in strengthening States' capacity to adequately monitor and export, import, and use of controlled substances while preventing their diversion. More efforts, therefore, are required in creating awareness and especially utilizing the public-private partnership among health workers, medical facilities, pharmaceutical companies, and the public on the availability of controlled substances for pain management. Thank you, Chair, for giving Kenya the floor.


CND · Chair [2:16:37]:

Thank you very much. Russian Federation, you have the floor.


Russian Federation · Chief Specialist on Palliative Care; Executive Board Chairperson [2:16:47]:

As a chief specialist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on palliative care and the chairperson of the executive board of the Russian Association on Hospice Care, I would like to say a few words as a practitioner who directly implements the decisions taken by the commission. Ensuring the availability of medications containing narcotic drugs for medical and scientific purposes, while preventing their diversion into illicit channels, is the main goal of our work. Every day of inaction causes the suffering of hundreds of people who cannot be cured, but they can definitely be helped. The joint work of the government of the Russian Federation, the professional and patient communities, has resulted in a tenfold increase in the availability of pain relieving medications in my country. The recipe for ensuring the availability of drugs is both complex and simple. First off, all we need to remove the legal barriers to the reasonable minimum to prevent the diversion of controlled substances of illicit markets. On a unified methodology for calculating the required amounts of opioids and analgesics has been calculated based on the mortality rates from various diseases. The scientific community and the Russian industry have developed and produced medication in pharmaceutical formulas and doses that are convenient for adult pains and children. Such convenient pharmaceutical formula and decisions are of no interest to using these medications for illicit purposes. Any management structure needs constant feedback. There is a government hotline for our patient, which registers complaints from citizen about violence in the prescription of opioids, which has been operating 24/7. Problems are solved within one working day. We see one of the key tasks in the training of healthcare professionals, how to treat the chronic pain syndrome. Since 2025, the Federal Scientific and Practical Center of Palliative Care of the Sechenov University has gained the status of the WHO Collaborating Center for Palliative Care Training. We have started to train doctors from interested countries. in pain relief and are open of active operation, cooperation. The road to improving pain relief is challenging, with many barriers that take years to overcome. Dear colleagues, we would like to thank you for your professional approach. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:20:17]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Indonesia.


Indonesia [2:20:23]:

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, Indonesia wishes to reaffirm its strong commitment to the comprehensive, balanced, and effective implementation of the International Drug Control Convention. At the domestic level, Indonesia maintains a robust legal and regulatory framework for the scheduling and rescheduling of controlled substances, consistent with our obligation under the 1961, 1971, and 1988 Convention, and continuously updates national schedule based on scientific evidence, risk assessments, and emerging trends. At the multilateral level, Indonesia actively engaged in international scheduling processes and support science-based decision making within the Commission and the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence. Oversight of narcotic drugs, rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances, psychotropic substances and precursors is strengthened through international cooperation, information sharing and close coordination among regulatory authorities, law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, public health institutions, as well as flexible regulatory approaches to ensure that scheduling mechanisms can respond effectively to address evolving substance profiles. Indonesia welcomes the recommendation of the Expert Committee on October and would like to, first, reaffirm that coca leaf and its derivatives are controlled under our national regulation in accordance with the 1961 Single Convention. Second, highlight that MDMB-Phubinaqua is already scheduled as a controlled narcotic under Indonesia national regulation. Three, stresses deep concern regarding the rapid emergence and global spread of new psychoactive substances, particularly high-potency synthetic opioids of the nitazine group, including N pyrolydinoisotonitazine, also known as isotonitazepin. For concern that recent global developments may constitute a serious threat that could affect the nation, even though Indonesia has no confirmed domestic cases involving this substance or N-desethyl-etonitazine, Indonesia takes note with appreciation of the International Narcotic Control Board annual report, which provides valuable analysis of global and regional drug trends. Indonesia welcomes the new INCB presidency and the Board for its continued engagement with Member States. We continue to strengthen the use of SIPNAP, or Sistem Informasi Pelaporan Narkotika dan Psikotropika, as a national platform for monitoring and reporting the use of narcotic and psychotropic from health services facilities. In addition, Indonesia also value the Memorandum of Understanding on procurements, which facilitate access to certified reference standards and analytical materials. Madam Chair. Indonesia remains committed to working closely with UNODC, WHO, INCB, and all Member States to reinforce early warning systems, improve forensic and regulatory capacity, and ensure the effective implementation of the international drug control treaties. I thank you.


CND · Chair [2:24:12]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Hungary.


Hungary [2:24:16]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Hungary is fully aligned itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. Please allow me to provide a few comments in our national capacity. Madam Chair, the variety of new psychoactive substances is rapidly increasing. It is therefore essential to prevent the diversion of controlled substances while maintaining their availability for medical and scientific purposes. Unfortunately, along with patients, laboratories analyzing new psychoactive substances also face obstacles in access and availability, many of them arising from the three drug control conventions. A fundamental source of information for monitoring and analyzing new psychoactive drugs and precursors is the national customs, criminal, and toxicological laboratories. In some cases, laboratories can work with digital data alone. But the use of comparative reference samples is also necessary for their analysis. The quantity of these comparative samples is typically very small, thus they cannot be used for anything other than laboratory testings. Laboratories must go through a specific licensing procedure to obtain these reference samples, which is highly time consuming and can significantly increase their response time. Another difficulty is that the legal regulations for different substances differ in individual States. In view of this, we consider it worthwhile to review the regulations on the ad hoc import-export licensing requirements of official laboratories testing controlled substances. We would therefore suggest for consideration, as a pilot concept, establish a network consisting of licensed customs, criminal, and toxicological laboratories. Members of the network could be exempted from certain administrative obligations related to the acquisition of small quantities of reference materials, while remaining fully subject to the existing official control and monitoring frameworks. This could be achieved by providing the members of the network with a time-limited general import-export framework license, subject to clearly defined conditions and oversight. This would greatly contribute to improving the responsiveness of early warning systems. In our opinion, the organizational and registration framework of the current institutional system could be suitable for the registration of members and the official control of the material flow within the network. Madam Chair, this idea is still in its initial stages, but Hungary intends to start a consultation on this topic in the future. Thank you for your attention.


CND · Chair [2:27:13]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to China.


China [2:27:18]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. The Chinese government continuously strengthens its drug control efforts to prevent the abuse of controlled substances while adopting multiple measures to effectively ensure the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes. First, at the legislative and regulative level, China has enacted laws and regulations, including the Drug Administration Law and the Regulations on the Administration of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. We classify and schedule narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances based on medical and non-medical use categories. Substances that are prominently abused are assessed in a timely manner and scheduled as appropriate. Second, our medical products administration strengthens compliance, guidance, supervision, and inspection of enterprise, manufacturing, and trading narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. improving the monitoring mechanism for online pharmaceutical sales, closely monitor the clinical use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and adjust production volumes accordingly. Fully assess the impact on clinical use to minimize effects on medical access, while adjusting the scope of controlled substances or raising control levels. Issue import and export authorization permits for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in a timely manner to facilitate legitimate international trade, and formulate plans to ensure the temporary import and supply of varieties urgently needed for clinical use jointly with health authorities. Third, our National Health Commission continuously improved the management for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in medical institutions, promoting enhanced digital management to enable source tracing and destination tracking, conduct risk assessments for the diversion of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, identify management loopholes promptly, implement corrective measures and combat relative crimes in accordance with the law. A national assessment system for rational drug use in medical institutions has been established and improved, continuously standardizing prescription authority and enhancing medical professionals' drug awareness. Publicity and training are also strengthened to guide the public in correctly understanding the potential risks. narcotic drug and psychotropic substances abuse, and to enhance their awareness and capacity to say no to drugs. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:30:29]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Thailand.


Thailand [2:30:36]:

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, it's an honor to share our experience and reaffirm Thailand's commitment to a balanced approach ensuring the availability of narcotic and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes, while preventing misuse and diversion. At present, Thailand continues to experience periodic shortages of certain medicines, primarily driven by increasing treatment demand, particularly for methamphetamine. used in ADHD management, opioid analgesics, as well as Korean raw material. In addition, Thailand remains dependent on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients and certain finished pharmaceutical products, and is vulnerable to effects by supply disruption from foreign manufacturers. The Thai FDA has undertaken efforts to address this through Measures such as: First, promoting research and development in the production of narcotic and psychotropic substances through strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity and enhancing long-term medicine security, including emergency preparedness and stockpiling. improving relevant legislation and training service delivery units to ensure more equitable and efficient nationwide distribution. Furthermore, in the past year, the Thai FDA has expanded treatment options for ADHD by amending regulations to permit the medical use of less-sedated amphetamines, thereby improving patient access and received methylphenidate shortages. Thailand also placed strong emphasis on likely oversight and diversion prevention to enhance information sharing and inter-agency coordination. We also have plans to further develop and implement a track and test system to monitor products throughout the supply chain from the manufacturer source to the end user. Madam Chair, in conclusion, Thailand remains firm in its commitment to promote appropriate access to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes, while ensuring safeguards against diversion and misuse. We remain dedicated to protect public health and the well-being of the people. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:33:42]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Nigeria.


Nigeria [2:33:49]:

Madam Chair, Nigeria thanks you for your able stewardship of this meeting. Nigeria affirms its strong commitment to international cooperation and addressing and countering the world drug problem, in line with the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action and the 2029 Ministerial Declaration. As we navigate the evolving landscape of global drug control, Nigeria continues to confront a dual challenge: ensuring adequate access to controlled medicines for legitimate medical and scientific purposes, while preventing their diversion and misuse. In this regard, Nigeria has taken important steps to strengthen regulatory oversight across the pharmaceutical supply chain. A key initiative is the introduction of a traceability system for narcotic and controlled medicines, which enables real-time monitoring of distribution channels. This system enhances transparency, supports regulatory compliance, reduces the circulation of substandard and falsified medicines, and helps prevent diversion into illicit markets. Madam Chair, Nigeria and several countries in West Africa remain targets for illicit trafficking in highly addictive substances, particularly formulations containing tapentadol and carisoprodol. The abuse of these substances poses significant public health and security risks, including dependency and overdose. Nigeria, therefore, supports strengthened international control measures and welcomes the continued regional cooperation facilitated by UNODC, which has contributed to reducing the availability of these substances across the region. These efforts are aligned with pillar one, supply reduction of Nigeria's National Drug Control Master Plan 2021-2025, and will continue under the forthcoming National Drug Control Master Plan 2026-2030. At the national level, Nigeria recognizes that enforcement measures must be complemented by prevention and public health strategies. To this end, Nigeria has expanded school-based prevention initiatives, including the Catch Them Young program, which raises awareness among young people about the dangers of drug abuse and promotes healthy lifestyles. In addition, a technical working group on access and control of controlled medicines has been established to strengthen coordination among health authorities, regulatory agencies, and law enforcement institutions. This platform supports balanced policies that ensure the availability of essential medicines while safeguarding against diversion. Madam Chair, Nigeria continues to deepen international partnerships with UNODC, Interpol, the World Customs Organization, and the CrimeJust program. These collaborations have strengthened intelligence sharing, enhanced operational cooperation, and contributed to disrupting transnational drug trafficking networks. Nigeria remains committed to working with the international community to advance balanced, evidence-based, and cooperative responses to the world drug problem, including through strengthened international cooperation and sustainable development-oriented approaches. Madam Chair, thank you.


CND · Chair [2:37:34]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the African Union.


AU · AU [2:37:41]:

Madam Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the African Union. The African Union reiterates the fundamental principle of the international drug control system, ensuring the adequate availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion and misuse. as established under the three international drug control conventions, including the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Across the African continent, access to controlled medicines, particularly opioid analgesics for the treatment of severe pain, palliative care, and essential medical procedures, remains limited. This gap is often linked to structural challenges, including regulatory constraints, limited technical capacity for quantification and forecasting, supply chain weaknesses, and persistent stigma associated with the use of controlled substances. The African Union continues to promote balanced, evidence-based approaches through the implementation of the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention. This framework emphasizes strengthening national regulatory systems, enhancing pharmacovigilance and monitoring mechanisms, and supporting capacity building for national drug control authorities. In this context, international cooperation remains critical. The African Union calls for strengthened technical assistance and knowledge exchange to support member states in improving national estimation systems, strengthening regulatory governance, and enhancing supply chain monitoring in line with guidance provided by the International Narcotics Control Board and the African Medicine Agency. At the same time, efforts to expand access must be accompanied by robust safeguards to prevent diversion and illicit trafficking. This includes strengthening regulatory oversight, enhancing cross-border cooperation, and improving intelligence sharing to address vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains. Madam Chair, ensuring equitable access to controlled medicines is a public health priority and matter of human dignity, no patient should be left behind without appropriate treatment due to preventable regulatory or systemic barriers. The African Union therefore reaffirms its commitment to working closely with member states, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and other partners to advance balanced drug control policies that protect public health, ensure access to essential medicines and safeguard against diversion. Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [2:41:04]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care.


IAHPC [2:41:14]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, Your Excellencies and distinguished delegates. In 2026, ten years since UN Member States approved the Angus Outcome Document, and only four years to go until the 2030 Agenda goals must be met, the majority of Member States still fall short of the single Convention aspiration to protect the health of mankind. Nearly 90% of the world's population still lacks adequate access to internationally controlled essential medicines. The International Association Hospice and Palliative Care has developed tools to help member states meet this challenge. The published essential and expanded packages for adults and children include essential generic oral analgesics, such as low-cost morphine, for countries in all income brackets. Member States are invited to review the packages to fulfill their 2030 commitments to universal health coverage, which includes holistic palliative care. By including the essential package in their health systems, Member States can help close the persistent global pain equity gap addressed in Chapter 2 of the UNGASS Outcome Document. The unmet global need among all of your population is only accelerating. We then respectfully ask, what measurable steps are you taking to ensure safe availability of controlled medicines? Have you adopted and funded balanced strategies to train your staff, to ensure safe supply chains and prescription of essential medical opioids? Do your national essential medicines lists include essential control medicines, and are you procuring them in sufficient quantities? Do your medical, nursing, and pharmacy curricula include training on pain management and palliative care? Are you reviewing unduly restrictive regulatory barriers to balance access and control? We understand that funding cuts, security challenges, and competing priorities are pushing this priority down national agendas, and are standing by to assist. We welcome the 2025 WHO guideline on safe and balanced control medicines policies, but high-level guidelines will not change realities unless member states adopt, implement, and resource them with coherent strategies. health, education, regulatory, and pharmaceutical systems must align. Civil society must be meaningfully engaged, but civil society alone cannot close the 90% access gap. We need to partner with you. Governments that are serious about achieving SDG 3 by 2030 must move beyond reaffirming commitments. They must implement them, tangibly, measurably, and urgently. To conclude, the question before us is very simple. When we reconvene in 2030, will we celebrate the fact that the equity gap has been closed through our constructive partnerships? If so, we will then be able to say that we acted together to show our citizens that it can be done. Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:44:47]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the Edufun Foundation Trust.


EFT · President; registered pharmacist [2:44:59]:

Namaste, distinguished Chair, Excellencies, and respected delegates. My name is Paras Soni from Edufun Foundation Trust India.

We are a civil.

Society organization in special consultative status with ECOSOC, working at the grassroots level, community-based prevention, youth awareness, and family-centered engagement. Our focus is on strengthening resilience through school programs, volunteer networks, and local dialogue initiatives. I speak today as I am a registered pharmacist and as a president of civil society working closely with communities in rural India. From my daily experience, I would like to highlight a growing but often overlooked problem: the misuse of certain prescription medicines and alcohol-containing medicinal syrups. In many rural areas, individuals struggling with addiction frequently obtain medicinal syrups containing alcohol from pharmacies, without prescription. These syrups are intended for legitimate therapeutic purposes, but some people consume entire bottles in one sitting for intoxication. Over time, this practice leads to dependency and serious health consequences. I have personally witnessed many patients whose liver has been severely damaged due to prolonged consumption of such syrups. Another serious concern is the misuse of tramadol. While tramadol is an important medicine for pain management in our communities, it is increasingly being used as a narcotic substitute. People consume it repeatedly for intoxication or as a coping mechanism for stress and physical discomfort, leading to dependency and withdrawal complications. We also observe the misuse of medicine such as Alprazolam, which is intended for anxiety disorder, but it's sometimes taken without medical supervision, and Modafinil, which some students misuse before examination to suppress sleep and extend study hours. This trend highlight an urgent need for stronger awareness, responsible dispensing practice, and community education. As pharmacists and civil society organizations, we are working to raise awareness and encourage responsible medicine use within our communities. However, addressing this challenge requires collaboration between government, healthcare professionals, educator and community organization, medicine should remain a tool for healing, not a source of addiction. By strengthening awareness, regulation, and support systems, we can protect communities and ensure the safe and responsible use of medicine. Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [2:48:00]:

Thank you very much. And now we have our last speaker, because Venezuela will speak tomorrow with interpretation. So we have Students for Sensible Drug Policies.


SSDP [2:48:17]:

Good afternoon, Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates.

My name is Gina Giorgio, and I am a representative of Students for Sensible Drug Policy in the United States.

Working on evidence-informed drug policy and public health reform.

It is a pleasure to address the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Under agenda item 5D, we offer several practical recommendations to strengthen implementation of the Convention's dual mandate, ensuring availability for medical and scientific purposes while preventing diversion. We encourage member states to establish clear, proportionate regulatory pathways that allow accredited medical and research institutions to conduct supervised clinical training programs involving internationally controlled substances consistent with treaty obligations and national.

Law.

We recommend licensing frameworks that permit certified clinicians in training to participate in hands-on instruction within secure hospital-based or research-based settings. Training conducted exclusively within compliant institutions strengthens diversion prevention by maintaining substances within tightly regulated supply chains. In several countries, structured training programs in psychedelic-assisted therapy already exist.

Clinicians can be trained extensively in therapeutic protocols, ethics, and patient safety.

However, because many psychedelic substances remain in schedule one until rescheduled, trainees are unable to receive supervised instruction that includes direct administration of the medicine itself within lawful clinical environments. This creates a practical gap between theoretical preparation and implementation readiness for psychedelic assisted therapy.

The need for such pathways is increasingly practical.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing applications related to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, and.

Psilocybin-assisted therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder, respectively.

Yet because these substances.

Remain in Schedule I under domestic law until rescheduled, clinicians face significant barriers to training in supervised clinical environments. This creates workforce bottlenecks and regulatory strain precisely at the moment when preparedness is most important.

We therefore recommend that Member States consider mechanisms that allow tightly controlled clinical training in.

Parallel with regulatory review processes for psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Preparing a qualified workforce is not liberalization.

It is prudent public health planning, consistent with the Convention's commitment to ensuring availability for legitimate medical and scientific purposes.

Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:51:04]:

Thank you very much. We now resume agenda item 5E, other matters arising from the international drug control treaties. As mentioned earlier, the election of the second co-chair for the panel of experts to be established based on CND resolution 68/6 will happen tomorrow morning, 12 March, at 10:00 AM sharp. So we will deal with any other issues. I invite Mr. Conor Green of the Drugs Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch of UNODC to make some comments. You have the floor.


UNODC · Representative, Drugs Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch [2:51:54]:

Chair of the Commission, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, drug markets worldwide continue to become increasingly complex, driven by the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances and novel precursor chemicals used in illicit drug manufacture. Criminal groups continue to adapt, exploiting regulatory gaps and operating increasingly sophisticated clandestine laboratories to evade controls. This fast-evolving landscape underlines the need to detect emerging threats early so that countries can respond effectively and protect public health. Despite these challenges, significant progress has been achieved. National early warning systems are proving essential for the timely identification of harmful substances, enabling faster responses across all regions. At the international level, the Commission has taken major steps to strengthen global drug control by scheduling some of the most harmful new psychoactive substances and important precursor chemicals critical to synthetic drug production. These actions highlight the value of coordinated, science-based decision-making. To ensure these international decisions translate into concrete action, it is vital that Member States have the operational capacity to implement them. UNODC provides extensive support to strengthen national systems and improve responses on the ground.

Each year.

More than 370 national drug testing laboratories in 95 countries receive assistance through UNODC’s proficiency testing and reference materials programme. In 2025, we published new guidance to assess the dependence and abuse potential of synthetic opioids, helping countries evaluate emerging substances more effectively. UNODC has also expanded its operational tools. Over the past year, the Clandestine Laboratory Investigation Platform was launched, and the United Nations Scientific Panel of Experts on Clandestine Laboratories was established to develop guidelines and provide specialised training for Member States. The Financial Institutions Against Drugs initiative, launched in 2025, strengthens efforts to disrupt the laundering of proceeds from synthetic drug trafficking. With UNODC's technical guidance, more than 200 tonnes of drugs and chemicals used in illicit manufacture were safely disposed of in the last year alone. Tailored laboratory training courses continue to be developed and delivered to meet the evolving needs of Member States.

Distinguished delegates, science has enabled us to detect, understand and respond to the growing challenge of new psychoactive substances.

Today, it guides our efforts to.

Prepare for what may be the defining drug challenge of the 21st century: synthetic drugs.

The UNODC synthetic drugs strategy provides a balanced, comprehensive framework.

Grounded in science, international cooperation, early warning, strong health responses, and enhanced counter-narcotic activity. Through this strategy and the UN toolkit on synthetic drugs, now used by more than 340,000 practitioners, UNODC remains committed to supporting all regions in mounting effective, science-informed responses.

We invite Member States to continue drawing on these.

Resources, and we look forward to working together to address the broader challenges in implementing a global, effective response to the world drug problem. I thank you.


CND · Chair [2:55:22]:

Thank you very much. Are there any comments concerning these remarks? I give the floor to the United States of America.


United States of America [2:55:39]:

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The United States firmly supports the international drug control conventions.

And the role of the CND in providing guidance to member states on their implementation. We believe the panel being convened in response to the contentious resolution 68/6 must respect the treaty-mandated role of the CND and conduct its work with a deep understanding of the conventions and their interpretation. For this reason, the United States had nominated the world's foremost expert on the three drug control conventions, Professor Pat Prue. Professor Prue has demonstrated her expertise through over two decades of participation in the CND, and many of you are deeply familiar with her integrity and commitment to the drug control treaties, with a legal background as an advisor and practitioner. Her election to the panel yesterday will help ensure its work remains firmly grounded in the conventions as they are, ensuring that any recommendations from the panel are practical and useful to the CND and the parties.

Thank you.


CND · Chair [2:56:53]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the Holy See.


Holy See [2:56:58]:

Madam Chair, as this is the first time that the Holy See takes the floor and my delegation was unable to intervene during the general debate, I would like to present under agenda item 5E the position of the Holy See regarding the use of the death penalty for drug-related offenses. Madam Chair, the promotion of initiatives aimed at establishing an effective, just, humane, and credible criminal justice system to prevent and combat illicit drug production and trafficking is of the utmost importance and urgency. In this spirit, the Holy See urges the international community to reject the death penalty, torture, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, including for victims of substance abuse. The death penalty has long been considered an appropriate response to certain great crimes and an extreme yet acceptable means of safeguarding the common good. However, today there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, A new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens, but at the same time do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption. This fundamental dignity of those committing certain crimes should be coupled with the duty of the state to protect the community, especially those vulnerable to addiction. Indeed, as Pope Leo XIV clearly states, the fight is against those who make their immense business out of drugs and every other addiction. There are huge concentrations of interest and extensive criminal organizations that states have a duty to dismantle. It is easier to fight against their victims. Too often, in the name of security, war is waged against the poor, filling prisons with those who are merely the final link in a chain of death. Therefore, Madam Chair, in order to address drug-related offences properly, there must be adequate policies for recovery from addiction, as well as greater investment in human development, education, and the creation of employment opportunities. Thank you for your attention.


CND · Chair [2:59:48]:

Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.


OHCHR · Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples [3:00:02]:

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored to address the Commission on this agenda item on the matter arising from the international drug control treaties. The mandate I hold as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples requires me to examine how global policy frameworks, including drug control regimes, affect the rights, lives.

And cultural integrity of Indigenous Peoples.

Today, I wish to highlight the urgent human rights implications of the continued classification of the coca leaf under Schedule 1 of the 1961 Single Convention, an issue.

That remains highly relevant as the CND considers matters linked to treaty implementation.

First, the coca leaf is.

Not a simple plant.

It is a cornerstone of the cultural, spiritual, and medicinal traditions of millions of indigenous people in the Andean-Amazon region. Its current international status has resulted in criminalization of traditional practices, stigmatization, and the erosion of cultural rights. Delisted the Koka leaf is essential to upholding the right to culture, religion, and traditional medicines, as enshrined and reaffirmed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Second, the right to health of indigenous peoples requires states to ensure that traditional medicines and health practices are accessible to Indigenous peoples. United Nations and United Nations human rights mechanisms have recognized that medicinal plants vital to Indigenous people health must be protected and not restricted through punitive drug control measures. Allowing the coca leaf in its natural form supports the full enjoyment of their rights and prevents negative impact on Indigenous Peoples' land and livelihood. Third, the current scheduling framework has generated disproportionate harm without due consideration to Indigenous Peoples. rights. The WHO review and the deliberation of this Commission offer a long overdue opportunity to correct a historical injustice. Integrating a human rights-based approach, including the meaningful participation of Indigenous peoples, is essential for a fair and evidence-based decision Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, as you take forward your work under this agenda item, I respectfully encourage the Commission to ensure that drug control measures do not override human rights obligations, and most specifically, international obligations pertaining to indigenous peoples' rights. A decision to delist the coca leaf, grounded in science, culture, and human rights, would represent a significant step toward aligning the international drug control system with the dignity and rights of Indigenous Peoples. I thank you for your attention.


CND · Chair [3:04:50]:

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the Organization of American States.


OAS · OAS [3:04:58]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Greetings on behalf of the Organization of American States. I wish to start highlighting that this year we commemorate that our Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, CICAD, has been strengthening drug policies, public health, and security in the Americas for 40 years. since its establishment in 1986. The global drug problem has evolved in unprecedented ways since CICAD was created. In the Americas and around the world, we observe how criminal organizations operate with a business-like logic, can infiltrate into state institutions, resort to violence to gain access to new routes and control territories, and exploit institutional gaps to expand social and economic control. Meanwhile, changing consumption patterns continue to strain health and justice systems, forcing states to respond in increasingly demanding environments. This scenario has been accelerated by the expansion of synthetic drugs, which have transformed illicit markets at a speed that outpaces the state's capacity to adapt. Their cheap production, high potency, and ease of distribution have made them a risk multiplier for our societies. This phenomenon impacts not only people's health, but also fractures entire communities. Its effects fall primarily on vulnerable populations, facilitating criminal recruitment, particularly among young people. However, the real challenge goes beyond drugs themselves. Today, we face a converging criminal economy. The same networks that cause thousands of deaths each year by trafficking cocaine or fentanyl to the United States and Europe, launder their profits through cryptocurrencies, finance themselves through illegal mining and other illicit economies, rely on heavy weaponry to protect routes and territories, and use smuggling and fraud to reinvest and multiply their gains. These are not isolated crimes, rather integrated criminal systems that operate transnationally and are highly adaptable. Faced with this reality, simply relying on past solutions is insufficient. An effective drug and security policy must focus on dismantling networks, attacking the financial, logistical, and operational structures of organized crime, and strengthening interoperability and cooperation among states. Drugs are often the starting point, but criminal convergence is the strategic threat our societies face. When crime is organized into networks, it diversifies its revenue streams and crosses borders with ease, and no state is safe. Only an equally integrated, coordinated, and cooperative response can be effective. Madam Chair, this is the challenge before the Commission today, a challenge that requires vision, cooperation, and sustained action. From the OAS, we reaffirm our commitment to continue innovating alongside our member states and strategic partners to jointly confront the criminal convergence that is redefining the drug problem today. At the same time, we remain ready to guard CICAD's holistic vision and approach on drug abuse control in the Americas for 40 years more. Thank you very much.


CND · Chair [3:08:24]:

Thank you very much. And now I invite the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs.


VNGOC · Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs; New York NGO Committee on Drugs; African Civil Society Platform on Drugs; American Coalition on Drug Policy; Civil Society Forum on Drugs in the EU [3:08:30]:

Chair, I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs, the New York NGO Committee on Drugs, the African Civil Society Platform on Drugs, the American Coalition on Drug Policy, and the Civil Society Forum on Drugs in the EU. On Monday, our civil society platforms, along with other partners, convened a side event dedicated to the newly established multidisciplinary expert panel under CND Resolution 68/6. The discussion brought together civil society representatives from different regions and perspectives, including youth organizations, global and regional networks, and representatives of people with lived and living experience. The message was clear: civil society stands ready to contribute constructively to the Panel, as was explicitly decided by CND Resolution 68/6. We were also honored by the participation and contribution of Slovenia, represented by Her Excellency Ambassador Melita Župevč, Permanent Representative of Slovenia in Vienna. Civil society organizations bring unique value to the work of the Panel. They provide direct community connections, real-time knowledge from the ground, and practical experience in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, access to essential medicines, development, policy implementation, and human rights. They also serve as an important institutional memory, having contributed to the previous processes, such as 2016 UNGASS, on the world drug problem and the 2019 ministerial segment. However, meaningful engagement will not happen automatically.

It must be actively designed and implemented.

Therefore, we respectfully call for the panel to conduct structured, transparent, and inclusive consultation mechanisms with civil society, including open global calls for written submissions, Inclusive consultation hearings, both virtual and regional, and accessible across time zones and languages. Engagement with youth organizations and affected communities, including people with lived and living experience, as well as indigenous peoples. Ensuring civil society organizations without ECOSOC status can contribute to these opportunities. and meaningful consideration of civil society inputs in the Panel’s recommendations, and transparent reporting on how this is done. Civil society is not simply an observer; it is a partner in implementation, innovation, and accountability. Our platforms stand ready to work with the panel to ensure that this important process benefits from the full diversity of knowledge and experience available from civil society across the globe.

Thank you, Chair.


CND · Chair [3:11:30]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the International Drug Policy Consortium.


IDPC · IDPC [3:11:41]:

Thank you, Chair, for giving me the floor. I'm making this statement on behalf of the International Drug Policy Consortium, a global network of 200 civil society and community organizations working to advance drug policies grounded in human rights and social justice. IDPC has produced a new flagship report, the UNGASS Decade in Review: Gaps, Achievements, and Paths for Reform, and it draws sobering conclusions. Despite important new commitments to promote health, human rights, and development in the last decade, the global drug control system continues to generate profound and preventable harm. Drug policies globally continue to drive criminalization and mass incarceration, with people living in poverty, women, LGBTQI+ people, racialized communities, and young people being disproportionately affected. Extrajudicial killings in the name of combating the drug trade are escalating and continue to be committed with impunity. Between 2016 and 2021, the UN reported 2.6 million drug use related deaths. These deaths are preventable through policies that support, don't punish, people who use drugs. Funding for life saving harm reduction services remains insufficient and is shrinking. Access to controlled medicines for pain relief also remains deeply unequal. In cultivation areas, indigenous peoples and farming communities continue to face violence, forced eradication, and economic marginalization. Excellencies, the UN drug control system is facing profound crises and requires urgent reform. A decade on from the UNGASS, incremental change will not suffice. We therefore welcome the multidisciplinary panel of independent experts It has a historic opportunity to recommend ambitious reforms, guided by the following core principles: First, that drug policy must be fully aligned with international human rights law. Drug control cannot be used to justify violations of the right to life, health, or freedom from discrimination. Second, a decisive rebalancing towards public health, including removing criminal penalties for drug use and related activities, and scaling up harm reduction and voluntary evidence-based treatment. Third, embed drug policies within development and gender-responsive approaches, particularly for communities affected by illicit crop cultivation and by punitive enforcement. Fourth, prioritizing accountability, ensuring that serious violations of international law committed in the name of drug control are systematically monitored and addressed. Impunity is no longer an option. The Panel’s review must be inclusive. Civil society and affected communities, including people who use drugs, indigenous peoples, farmers, formerly incarcerated people, and youth, must be meaningfully involved throughout. Their lived experience and expertise are indispensable to building a credible, effective, and just system. Meaningful involvement requires consultations, a call for written inputs, and a commitment by the Panel to reflect these inputs into its recommendations. We will soon publish a series of more detailed recommendations on this important issue. The next decade must not repeat the failures of the past. IDPC stands ready to engage constructively to support transformative change. There are millions of lives at stake. Thank you.


CND · Chair [3:15:40]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Harm Reduction International.


HRI [3:15:48]:

Thank you, Chair. In 2019, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to promoting human rights and dignity in drug policies. Seven years on, that promise remains largely unfulfilled. Punitive responses to drugs continue to dominate, rights protections are being eroded, and international cooperation is under strain. Harm reduction has been endorsed by the entire UN system, including this forum, as an essential component of health and rights-based drug policies. Yet implementation remains elusive. By the end of 2025, Harm Reduction International documented a modest global expansion, with 112 countries in diverse contexts endorsing these approaches. Yet deep regional disparities persist, and in many places, availability, accessibility, and quality fall far short. Stigma, discrimination, and criminalization act as almost insurmountable barriers to access, particularly for women, racial and ethnic minorities, and other marginalized groups. The situation is even more dire in prisons. People who use drugs are overrepresented due to criminalization, but services are almost entirely absent. Where they do exist, they are underfunded, difficult to access, and unevenly distributed. At the same time, the global funding landscape is rapidly deteriorating. Harm reduction funding is now critically fragile. The double hit of funding cuts and global fund replenishment shortfall, combined with minimal domestic financing, has pushed harm reduction programs to breaking point and stripped away critical human rights and gender work, community-led interventions, and advocacy. In this context, the push for rapid integration of harm reduction into primary healthcare is not a pathway to sustainability. It is an equity risk. Equally alarming, the death penalty remains a core feature of punitive drug policies. HRI reports over 1200 drug-related executions in 2025, the highest number in 20 years, with drug offenses accounting for nearly half of all executions globally. Against these developments, the silence of CND and UNODC sends a dangerous message that human rights can be set aside when politically inconvenient. These challenges point to the deep structural shortcomings in global drug control system. We therefore welcome the establishment of the independent expert panel and urge it to examine the use of the death penalty assess health and social outcomes for people who use drugs, and interrogate patterns of international cooperation and financing. We emphasize the importance of meaningful participation of civil society, people who use drugs, and affected communities in the implementation of the Panel's mandate. More just and effective drug policies are within reach. But only if we place people who use drugs at the center, divest from extreme and ineffective policies, and invest in harm reduction and other social justice interventions. We have the tools and the evidence required. What we need is the political will. Thank you.


CND · Chair [3:19:03]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Community Alliances for Drug-Free Youth.


CADFY [3:19:11]:

Madam Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. I'm honored to speak to you today to illustrate hard-learned lessons from the liberalization of marijuana policy in the United States, which is a result of politics rather than science-led policies. The commercialization of marijuana disguised as medicine is also negatively impacting sound drug policy globally. Our aim is to create a global policy conversation that focuses on science, public health, workplace safety, and human rights, while avoiding policies that have proven ineffective and harmful.

In the United States, it has caused significant negative.

Consequences for employers who wish to be a drug-free workplace, and it has also resulted in many employers no longer testing for marijuana. This has resulted in increased post-accident incidents and ultimately made the workplace less safe. These state governmental commercialized policies permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes have created without any specific scientific support, in fact, when the term follow the science is used in other public policy deliberations, The exact opposite approach is used when developing marijuana public policy. Politics and money take precedence over science. The harmful effects of marijuana and its adverse effects on the general population and the public safety are totally disregarded. Let us not forget that science and regulatory policies protect the individual. Commercialized policies protect the manufacturers and those who have a financial interest. The result has been that the marijuana industry's influence on public policy has greatly increased in the United States in the last five years. As an example, in 2011, the marijuana industry spent only around $35,000 to lobby elected officials. While the most recent expenditure reports show that cannabis interests in 2024 spent over $3 million to lobby federal government officials, with state interests exceeding even those numbers combined. And in 2025, the marijuana industry spent over $100 million to change a state's constitution to allow recreational marijuana. However, this effort was ultimately defeated by the voters. The US experience reveals pronounced lobbying activity and political financing by the cannabis interests, raising concerns about the creation of public policy and market access over the public good. Regulatory promises such as significant tax revenue, job creation, have not materialized.

Complicating the narrative that liberalization is beneficial and in the public's interest. The United States presents a clarifying case.

Comprehensive state-level reforms legalizing marijuana with a commercialized approach has not delivered the promised public health or safety outcomes the public is entitled to from its government. Global policy should not blindly imitate a liberalization model that lacks consistent regulatory guidance, uniform data, and rigorous safeguards.

Instead, we must pursue policies rooted in independent science, transparent governance, and continuous evaluation. I appreciate your attention, and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss this important issue with you further.

Thank you, Madam Chair.


CND · Chair [3:23:16]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to the Corporación Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad.


Dejusticia · Dejusticia; Elementa; Mujeres Libres; Fundacion Ideas para la Paz; Alianza Coca para la Paz [3:23:28]:

Thank you for giving me the floor. I make this statement on behalf of Dejusticia, Elementa, Mujeres Libres, Fundacion Ideas para la Paz, and Alianza Coca para la Paz, civil society organizations working for human rights and drug policy reform in Latin America. We wish to address three specific issues arising from the functioning of the treaties.

First, on the Independent Expert Panel.

We welcome the adoption of a resolution led by Colombia last year and acknowledge the progress made in establishing the panel. However, its value lies not in its mere existence, but in how it functions. From the Global South, we must be clear: we demand that the panel’s work fully embody the spirit of independence.

With which it was created. Experts in human rights with knowledge of the implications of drug.

Policy for peasant and indigenous communities, and those who have experienced deprivation of liberty, among other populations.

Affected by prohibition, must have a genuine voice in its deliberations, not merely symbolic representation.

The existing mechanisms to ensure civil society participation in these deliberations are important but insufficient.

It is urgent to guarantee effective conditions for participation in terms of language, accessibility, and transparency of Only in this way can a truly legitimate review process be promoted.

Second, on the Panel's mandate and the treaties. The Panel has the opportunity and the obligation to address the well-documented tensions between the drug conventions and other international obligations: the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the standards of the universal human rights system.

The case of the coca leaf illustrates this with painfully clarity.

The WHO's critical review process dismissed community and indigenous knowledge, invoking the absence of evidence that the very control regime makes impossible to build. That vicious circle must be named for what it is.

A structural failure of the system, not a reason to maintain the status quo.

Third, on political will, member states that supported the resolution, especially those from the global south that have suffered the greatest cost of.

Prohibition, must support the panel not only through votes and resources for its functioning.

But also with political protection against the external pressures. As Ambassador Laura Hill recalled last year, Colombia has sacrificed more than any other country on this war that was imposed upon it. That reality of Colombia, of Mexico, of Peru, of Bolivia, of so many countries of the Global South, is what must be at the center of the panel's work, not as decorative testimony, but as determining evidence.

Thank you.


CND · Chair [3:26:33]:

Thank you very much. It is 1:00. I propose to finish with our three remaining speakers before we close this agenda item. So I give the floor to Smart Approaches to Marijuana.


SAM · SAM and Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions · Representative; former U.S. White House drug policy advisor [3:26:53]:

Thank you, Chair, and I'll try not to keep you for lunch, but I want to thank you, excellencies, for the opportunity to speak today on behalf of SAM, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions. My name is Kevin Sabet. I'm a former three-time U.S. White House drug policy advisor. Citizens around the world are now rejecting five years of failed drug legalization and extreme harm reduction policies. In the United States, the backlash in favor of public health has reached unprecedented levels. A groundswell of opposition to legal cannabis is growing stronger, with hundreds of thousands of voters putting the reversal of cannabis commercialization on the ballot across multiple states. Massachusetts will soon vote whether or not to repeal legalization. The state of Maine will likely vote in 2027. Repeal efforts are happening in earnest in other states like Arizona and Montana. Indeed, public opinion has undergone a stark turn against cannabis. None other than the New York Times has completely reversed its position on the harmfulness of cannabis, publicly declaring that America has a cannabis problem. that a federal ban on hemp-derived THC is also slated to take place in November. These are major steps toward a real evidence-based, compassionate, science-based public health and public safety model structured around prevention, treatment, and recovery. And it doesn't stop with cannabis. The decriminalization of all drugs, especially the North America brand, which simply allows for a free-for-all, much akin to full legalization, has been roundly rejected in none other than the progressive state of Oregon and even the province of British Columbia in Canada, where the government has not renewed that policy because of its failures. These are the pillars of our sister organization, the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions, that we've laid out in the Hyannis Consensus document that many of you have received. As countries reassess their commitments, funding levels, and activities around global and national policy, we urge them to remember that this path is the most cost-effective and humane. With the winds at the back of common sense and public health, the time is now for this body to formally and universally reject rhetoric regarding the legalization of drugs. You all have an obligation under the three conventions, the International Narcotics Control Board has an obligation to enforce these conventions, and the idea that we can safely regulate these substances has been outright failure, not to mention a violation of both the spirit and letter of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which every nation in this room is bound to. We must reject false dichotomies that say we can either legalize or criminalize. We don't want to be putting people in prison for the simple condition of addiction, but at the same time, we have to understand that there is room for public safety and supply reduction. Harm reduction can be part of the strategy too, but it must be part of a strategy to get people into recovery, not to sustain their drug use. As I speak, we hear about the catastrophic effects of legalization around the country, around the world. This is why Thailand has moved forward towards reversing it. This is why Germany is completely rewriting its model of legalization. This is why the models of commercialization have not spread through Europe, Africa, Asia, or the Middle East, because those models are all about money. They're all about money for a small number of people, a small number of businesses, a small number of shareholders that want to make money off of our young people and increase things like psychosis and schizophrenia. Finally, we stress that an international legal drug industry, first cannabis, then psychedelic drugs, and then other drugs, would likely leverage bilateral and multilateral investment treaties to challenge any well-intentioned public health regulations that this body might put forward. Now, this is not a call for punitiveness. This is a call for compassion. Addiction is a complex biobehavioral disorder, but it responds to carrots and sticks. You have to have both. And this is what we're dealing with around the world, especially in North America with the impact of overdoses. The public is demanding something better than condemning people to a lifetime of chemical slavery. The opportunity has never been bigger, and the mandate has never been more clear. We call on all Member States to invest in a comprehensive approach, beginning with prevention, but also understanding how in today's world, global cooperation is needed more than ever. Thank you.


CND · Chair [3:31:20]:

Thank you very much. I give now the floor to Instituto Rio.


RIA · Instituto RIA [3:31:28]:

Thank you for the space, your excellencies, distinguished delegations, colleagues from civil society. Thank you for giving me the space. My name is Jitka Nikodemova, and I speak in the place of Instituto RIA, a Mexican-based organization that undertakes high-quality research, highlighting and proposing innovations in order to advocate for public policies within a social justice framework. Addressing agenda item 5E, other matters arising from the international drug control treaties, I am asking myself: instead of continually reaffirming our commitment to financial support of, control of compliance with, and enforcement of these treaties in question, Shouldn't we be, with equal effort and urgency, also be simultaneously and genuinely inquiring what claims and values are they based on, and what is their relevance to the state of the world and our knowledge as it evolves over time? As a global community, we state our commitments to certain noble ideas.

Ideals, where declarations of the United Nations.

And others, while simultaneously conducting a planetary wide activity which harms them, prevents their thriving, or sometimes their very existence. We are waging a worldwide war enshrined in the conventions of the United Nations, a self-proclaimed peace building international institutions. Some call it a world drug problem to be addressed and countered. Some call it directly a war on drugs. Framed in this way, it is indeed a fight, a war that is going on globally and for several decades. Let us restate: a planetary right world, truly, maybe not with explosives, but instead subtle, pervasive, and continuous. Have we not noticed the contradictions, or are we consciously choosing it? Sasha Shulgin asks in their second book, TIKAL, chapter Qui Bono, who benefits? from the prohibition attitudes to drugs, indeed who? This we should be asking, I truly believe, and not on the sides, but right here where the current regime of drug control, stemming from the treaties, is questioned, originates, and is sustained. It is my second year here at CND, and it has been a shock being here. I can't comprehend how many of us here come here for perhaps decades, maintain sanity among the hypocrisy and irrationality of schedules and scheduling. The proclaimed commitments immediately contradicted by their consequences, the blind repetition of vague phrases, sometimes well sounding, but without meaning anything concrete. Ritualistically and with a near religious fervor, there seems to be an ideological dogma being lived and enacted. I'm confounded that for nearly 70 years we come here, meet, apply ourselves to work, which is obviously failing at large. Yet, reaffirm our commitments to keep doing the same thing over and over, and keep asking for more money to keep doing the same. There are many means exist to learn on our unique way of life, and each of us should have the sole authority to choose it. The life learning paths can also belong the use of psychoactive drugs, and they must be and will be available for their reasons and for many others. I can't stop thinking about what are we afraid of, why this war against drugs? And words of Anne Shulgin reflecting on the war on drugs in her chapter "Invasion" in Book Tikaal keeps resonating in mind. I believe there is an intense, unconscious fear of the hidden depths of the human psyche and an unacknowledged certainty that the shadow, the dark side, is indeed the final, terrible, rock bottom truth about the nature of mankind. Until there is a growth of understanding that the shadow side of us, and realization that it is possible for the dark aspect to undergo transformation, this fear and hostility towards anything that opens up the human unconscious will continue. Thank you for your attention.


CND · Chair [3:35:30]:

Thank you very much. And now our last speaker, Latin America reformer.


NGO representative [3:35:36]:

Thanks.

Mr. Chair, Excellencies. Distinguished members of the Bureau, dear delegates, NGO representatives, ladies and gentlemen. I come from Chile, and I represented an NGO working with people who use cannabis for medical purposes. In our country, drug regulations have been moving forward since 2015, allowing medical uses for cannabis and its derivatives, as written in drug law number 20,000. Recently, there has been also a debate over the medical use of psilocybin. Although in our country, thousands of people are still processed for minor offenses against drug law, mostly for cannabis and cocaine base. Equally, a lot of people are free from charges by using medical prescriptions that allow them to grow cannabis plants at home or in dispensaries, such as civil associations. We have been working since 2011, initially with children with epilepsy, adults with cancer, and people with other diseases. The work of civil society with people who use drugs made it possible for the government to regulate and provide guidance on how cannabis and its derivatives could be used by medical doctors through Presidential Decree number 84 of 2015, which established the regulatory framework for medical cannabis in Chile. We are a simple group of medical doctors, journalists, and psychologists, but over this time working, we have reached the conviction that drug laws must be revisited because they cause significant harm, send people to jail unnecessarily, raise barriers to accessing painkiller medications, facilitate the operation of black markets, encourage corruption among public servants, such as police or gendarmerie, and undermine public health, which is, after all, the ultimate objective of 1961, 1971, and 1988 drug conventions. So we salute the initiative of 2025 L6 that create a panel of independent experts. We place our hopes in the work of this panel, which represents the different regions of the world and will carry out its review together with national authority and relevant stakeholders, including civil society, scientific community, academia, youth groups, and the private sector, affected communities, and other relevant actors interested in drug policy affairs. Civil society will support the outcome of the expert panel if it effectively updates and strengthens the international drug regulatory system, while respecting human rights and enhancing public health for the people of our countries. We call upon the governments representing the Commission to reflect on the impact that the new regulatory approach could have on public health and the well-being of our citizens. For us, this must translate into a firm commitment from State Parties to ensure the effective functioning of the Panel and to provide it with the necessary administrative support. This is essential to develop the best possible update proposals, addressing issues that in some cases have been pending for decades. Key areas for review include the criteria for scheduling controlled substances, the recognition of their medical uses, a balanced assessment of the risk, the emergence of new psychoactive substances, and above all, the application of principle of analogy in scheduling decisions. We dream of an international regulatory framework that allows for the controlled use of scheduled substance for medical purposes, a framework where fewer people are incarcerated for minor drug law offenses. where states can generate greater tax revenue by regulating legal activities and applying appropriate corrective taxes far more effectively than the black market ever could. and where public health is protected by ensuring access to a regulated market of substances that guarantees quality, opportunity, and cultural relevance in the laws we have given ourselves as humanity and civilization for today and the future. Thank you and regards.


CND · Chair [3:40:38]:

Thank you very much. We will start again at 3 o'clock. We will start with three interventions on item 6, from the Youth Forum, Young Doctors, and the Informal Scientists Network. And then we will go to item 4 until we finish it, and then we will come back to finish item 6. Okay, thank you very much. See you at 3 o'clock.