Morocco re-elected by acclamation to UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs

The UN Economic and Social Council on Wednesday re-elected Morocco, by acclamation, as a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the UN’s central decision-making body on drugs.

The Kingdom, which currently sits on this Commission, whose work is held in Vienna, was re-elected on behalf of the Group of African States, for a term of 4 years from January 1, 2024.

Morocco’s re-election to this important Commission for a third consecutive term is further confirmation of Morocco’s pioneering role in regional and international efforts to combat the global drug problem in all its dimensions and ramifications.

It is also an eloquent expression of the trust placed in Morocco by the United Nations member states to strengthen international and regional cooperation to combat the scourge of drugs, in particular by making available its rich and fruitful national experience in this field, which is respected by all regional and international actors active in this field.

This re-election also confirms the Kingdom’s recent wise choice regarding the legal use of cannabis, for medical, cosmetic and industrial purposes, through a law approval by the Parliament, in June 2021.

Actually, after reviewing several recommendations of the World Health Organization, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs decided, through a resolution adopted on December 2, 2020, to remove cannabis from the strictest control lists – where it had been for 59 years – which discouraged even its use for medical purposes.

This decision paved the way for the recognition of the medicinal and therapeutic potential of cannabis and the strengthening of further scientific research on its medicinal properties.

The mandate of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs is to analyze the world drug situation, examining the interrelated issues of drug abuse prevention, drug rehabilitation, and illicit drug supply and trafficking.

It monitors the implementation of international drug control conventions and takes decisions on all matters relating to the control of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors.

The Commission works to strengthen action at the national, regional and international levels to accelerate the implementation of commitments to address and combat the world drug problem.