ISSUP at the 60th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

Earlier this week ISSUP attended the 60th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) at the Vienna International Centre. Around 1,500 government officials and NGO representatives came together to discuss drug-related issues and explore ways to review and plan for a forward looking and comprehensive approach to the world drug problem.

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is the central policy-making body of the UN drug control system. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was established in 1946 to assist in the application of the international drug control treaties. The CND meets annually when it considers and adopts a range of decisions and resolutions from the governments of those countries attending.

In the opening session, UNODC Chief Yury Fedotov presented global efforts being undertaken against illegal drugs such as the support for collaborative efforts between the health and justice sectors and alternatives to conviction or punishment for minor offences. He was joined by several other speakers including the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the United States, Dr. Nora Volkow, the President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), Werner Sipp, and representatives of youth and civil society. In her speech, Dr. Nora Volkow highlighted the importance of science as she stated: “The value of science is to come up with solutions. Advances are surprising everyone – especially how the human brain works on drugs and with addiction.” 

The focus on the drugs issue as a health rather than a legal issue was a common strand of the presentations along with the need to pursue prevention actions based on an increasing evidence base that needed to be shared globally. This was reassuring to ISSUP given its role to undertake just this through its work.

In addition to daily plenary sessions, more than 100 side events and exhibitions were hosted. ISSUP had the opportunity to attend a number of those events ranging from new initiatives in prevention to treatment and care of people with drug use disorders who come into contact with the criminal justice system. The meeting was an excellent networking opportunity for ISSUP to spread awareness of its work and to communicate the vital role that ISSUP can play in helping to transfer the many fine words and activities presented at CND to the drug prevention and treatment communities globally through its unique website and annual international event so that they can be translated into practice.