INCB participation at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs 57 th session

and high-level review (13 - 21 March 2014)

During the opening of the CND High-Level Review on 13 March, which had the participation of, among others, H.M Queen Silvia of Sweden and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, the INCB President, Mr. Raymond Yans, stressed that the spirit of the three international drug control conventions is to limit the use of drugs to medical and scientific purposes and that multilateralism is key to achieving such a goal.  Mr. Yans noted that INCB is committed to dialogue with Member States regarding the implementation of the international drug control system as enshrined in the three conventions. The INCB President's statement also addressed issues of legalization and decriminalization, medical cannabis and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).

Speech of the President during the High-Level Segment (in French)

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During the plenary session, on an agenda item concerning the work of INCB, the President of the Board presented the INCB Annual Report for 2013 and the Precursors Report for 2013. Pointing out that the main theme of the report was the economic consequences of drug abuse, Mr. Yans stressed that investment in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation was a wise choice.  Among other topics, the President's statement addressed the situation in Afghanistan concerning illicit opium poppy and cannabis plant cultivation, treaty compliance, the I2ES import/export system and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).

President's Speech on the Annual Report and Precursors Report for 2013

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In the plenary, on the issue of availability, Mr. Yans remarked that since the publication of the 2010 INCB Report on the Availability of Internationally Controlled Drugs there has been a good reaction from Member States and that INCB planned to prepare another supplementary publication in 2015 on this subject. Also, he stressed that a balance between supply and demand of opioid raw material has to be maintained, and that although there was a sufficient amount of opiate raw materials available to meet reported demand, consumption patterns were asymmetrical (92% of morphine available is consumed by just 17% of the world's population). The President of the Board highlighted that since 2010 there had been an increase in the number of countries that submit consumption data for psychotropic substances on a voluntary basis. Mr. Yans urged countries to implement the recommendations established on the 2010 Availability Report. National authorities are encouraged to refer to the INCB and WHO Guide on Estimating Requirements for Substances under International Control, which was published in 2012.

Speech of the President on the Availability of internationally controlled substances

 

At the margins of the Commission, the INCB President and secretariat held bilateral meetings with a number of Government delegations on issues of common concern in international drug control.  The President reiterated the Board's readiness to advise and assist Member States in improving their implementation of the conventions. 

On 18 March, the INCB President held an informal dialogue with civil society, facilitated by the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs.  The President commended the NGOs on their work, in particular in prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and availability, and encouraged them to engage with the Board by providing updates on data collected from their different fields of work.

 

INCB organized a number of side events at the margins of the 57 th CND Session. INCB together with the IT Service of UNODC presented the international import/export authorization system, I2ES, which, once launched, will facilitate the regulatory work of national authorities. A further side event presented the "Latest trends, challenges and successes in global chemical control". 

 

     
         
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