Cannabis and its derivatives are subject to regulation under three United Nations treaties: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Single Convention treaty, meaning that medical use is allowed but that it is considered to be an addictive drug with a serious risk of abuse – along with other drugs such as opium and cocaine. Prior to December 2020 it was also included in Schedule IV, a subset of Schedule I, which is for only the most dangerous drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. Member nations of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted 27–25 to remove it from Schedule IV on 2 December 2020, following a World Health Organization recommendation for removal in January 2019.
