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International Opium Convention

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The expressionInternational Opium Conventionrefers either to the first International Opium Convention signed atThe Haguein 1912, or to the second International Opium Convention signed atGenevain 1925.

First International Opium Convention (1912)

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1912 Opium Convention
Hague Opium Convention
International Opium Convention signed at The Hague, January 23rd, 1912, and Protocols of cloture signed at The Hague on January 23rd, 1912; July 9th, 1913; and June 25th, 1914.
Signed23 January 1912[1]
LocationThe Hague
Effective28 June 1919[2]
Expiration13 December 1964[3]

In 1909, a 13-nationInternational Opium Commissionwas held inShanghai,in response to increasing criticism of theopiumtrade and to theOpium Wars.A few years later, in 1912, the First International Opium Conference was convened inThe Hagueto continue the discussions initiated in Shanghai.

The International Opium Convention (or1912 Opium Convention) which was signed at the end of the Hague Conference, on 23 January 1912, is considered as the first internationaldrug controltreaty.It was registered inLeague of Nations Treaty Serieson January 23, 1922.[4]The treaty was signed byGermany,theUnited States,China,France,theUnited Kingdom,Italy,Japan,theNetherlands,Persia,Portugal,Russia,andSiam.The convention provided, "The contracting Powers shall use their best endeavours to control, or to cause to be controlled, all persons manufacturing, importing, selling, distributing, and exporting morphine, cocaine, and their respective salts, as well as the buildings in which these persons carry such an industry or trade."

The convention was implemented in 1915 by the United States, Netherlands, China,Honduras,andNorway.It went into force globally in 1919, when it was incorporated into theTreaty of Versailles.The primary objective of the convention was to introduce restrictions on exports; it did not entail any prohibition or criminalisation of the uses and cultivation ofopium poppy,thecoca plant,orcannabis.

Second International Opium Convention (1925)

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1925 Opium Convention
Geneva Opium Convention
International Convention, Adopted by the Second Opium Conference (League of Nations), and Protocol relating thereto. Signed at Geneva, February 19, 1925.
Signed19 February 1925[5]
LocationThe Hague
Expiration13 December 1964[6]

In 1925, a Second International Opium Conference was convened in Geneva. On this occasion, a second International Opium Convention (theInternational Convention relating to Dangerous Drugsor1925 Opium Convention) was signed atGenevaon 19 February 1925. It went into effect on 25 September 1928, and was registered inLeague of Nations Treaty Serieson the same day.[7][8]It introduced a statistical control system to be supervised by a Permanent Central Opium Board, a body partly linked to theLeague of Nations.

Permanent Central Opium Board

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The 1925 Convention provided for the setting up of a Permanent Central Opium Board (PCOB). It started operating in 1928. Although a treaty-mandated body, theoretically independent from theLeague of Nations,it became partially-integrated into thestructure of the League.[9][10]

The PCOB was first known as thePermanent Central Opium Board,then as thePermanent Central Narcotics Board.It is sometimes referred to asPermanent Central Board.[11]

In 1931 the Board was supplemented by the creation of another organ under the "Limitation Convention":the Drug Supervisory Body ("Organe de Contrôle") which, together with the PCOB, was eventually merged onto theInternational Narcotics Control Boardin 1968.

Cannabis in the 1925 Convention

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Egypt,with support fromItalyandSouth Africa,recommended that measures of control be extended beyond opium and cocaine derivatives, tohashish.A sub-committee was created, and proposed the following text:

The use of Indian hemp and the preparations derived therefrom may only be authorized for medical and scientific purposes. The raw resin (charas), however, which is extracted from the female tops of the cannabis sativa L, together with the various preparations (hashish, chira, esrar, diamba, etc.) of which it forms the basis, not being at present utilized for medical purposes and only being susceptible of utilisation for harmful purposes, in the same manner as other narcotics, may not be produced, sold, traded in, etc., under any circumstances whatsoever.

Indiaand other countries objected to this language, citing social and religious customs and the prevalence of wild-growing cannabis plants that would make it difficult to enforce. A compromise[12]was made that banned exportation ofIndian hempto countries that have prohibited its use, and requiring importing countries to issue certificates approving the importation and stating that the shipment was required "exclusively for medical or scientific purposes." It also required Parties to "exercise an effective control of such a nature as to prevent the illicit international traffic in Indian hemp and especially in the resin." These restrictions still left considerable leeway for countries to allow production, internal trade, and use of cannabis for recreational purposes.[13]

The Opium Conventions after Second World War

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After the second world war, the two Opium Conventions were amended to transfer the mandates and functions of the League of Nations and theOffice international d'hygiène publiqueto theUnited NationsandWorld Health Organization.[14]Eventually, both the 1912 and the 1925 Conventions were superseded by the 1961Single Convention on Narcotic Drugswhich merged the Permanent Central Opium Board and the Drug Supervisory Body onto theINCB.

See also

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References

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Wikisourcehas original text related to this article:
  1. ^"United Nations Treaty Collection; CHAPTER VI, NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES; 2. International Opium Convention, The Hague, 23 January 1912".treaties.un.org.Retrieved21 February2022.
  2. ^"United Nations Treaty Collection; CHAPTER VI, NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES; 2. International Opium Convention, The Hague, 23 January 1912".treaties.un.org.Retrieved21 February2022.
  3. ^"United Nations Treaty Collection; CHAPTER VI, NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES; 15. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961".treaties.un.org.Retrieved21 February2022.
  4. ^League of Nations Treaty Series,vol. 8, pp. 188–239.
  5. ^"United Nations Treaty Collection; CHAPTER VI NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES 5. International Opium Convention Geneva, 19 February 1925".treaties.un.org.Retrieved21 February2022.
  6. ^"United Nations Treaty Collection; CHAPTER VI, NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES; 15. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961".treaties.un.org.Retrieved21 February2022.
  7. ^League of Nations Treaty Series,vol. 81, pp. 318–358.
  8. ^"The beginnings of international drug control".Archived fromthe originalon 29 April 2008.Retrieved16 February2005.
  9. ^McAllister, William B. (2000).Drug Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century – An international history.New-York:Routledge.ISBN0-415-17990-4.
  10. ^Renborg, B. A. (1957). International Control of Narcotics. Law and Contemporary Problems, 22(1 Narcotics), 86–112.https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/lcp/vol22/iss1/7
  11. ^UN (1999): "Evolution of international drug control, 1945-1995"Bulletin on Narcotics, Vol. LI, Nos. 1 and 2Archived2006-01-13 at theWayback Machine
  12. ^W.W. WILLOUGHBY: OPIUM AS AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM, BALTIMORE, THE JOHNS HOPKINS PRESS, 1925
  13. ^The cannabis problem: A note on the problem and the history of international actionArchived2005-05-26 at theWayback Machine
  14. ^"Cannabis amnesia – Indian hemp parley at the Office International d'Hygiène Publique in 1935 [preprint]".www.authorea.com.doi:10.22541/au.165237542.24089054/v1(inactive 12 September 2024).Retrieved3 December2022.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2024 (link)
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