The status of CBD under the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
25.8.2020
Question for written answer E-004626/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Piernicola Pedicini (NI), Eleonora Evi (NI), Ignazio Corrao (NI), Ivan Vilibor Sinčić (NI)
On 24 January 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended amending Schedule I of the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in order to clarify that cannabidiol (CBD) is not a narcotic drug. This entailed firstly removing the references to ‘extracts and tinctures of cannabis’ from that schedule, and secondly inserting a footnote stating that ‘preparations containing predominantly CBD and not more than 0.2 % delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol are not under international control’.
On 12 December 2019, the Commission asked Member States not to put to vote the above recommendations, but rather to request further assessment by the WHO. The Commission states that only WHO recommendations ‘which would not result in a significant change in the control of these substances’ should be supported.
The Council adopted the Commission proposal.
- 1.What specific concerns have Member States and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) expressed in relation to the clarification of the legal status of CBD?
- 2.Is the Commission working on the legal and practical implications of a possible change?
- 3.Is it reconsidering its view on CBD in the new proposal for a Union position at the reconvened UN session in December 2020?