Learn about
World Health Organisation (WHO)
and Cannabis.
The Cannabis Embassy’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, Paris, Rome, and Montreal (part of the Ministry of External Affairs) has published 2 articles about Cannabis & World Health Organisation (WHO).
Legatio Cannabis
大麻大使馆
سفارة القنب
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the United Nations’ specialised agency directing and coordinating international health matters.
Under the international drug control treaties, WHO holds a treaty-mandated role: its Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) conducts scientific and medical reviews of substances, including Cannabis and cannabinoids, and issues scheduling recommendations to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs — including the landmark 2019 recommendations, initiated by our teams, that led to the rescheduling of “cannabis and cannabis resin” under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 2020.
In addition, WHO’s assessments have historically shaped how Cannabis is viewed, beyond its scheduling mandate. The WHO’s ECDD opinion on cannabidiol (CBD) has often been cited to accompany policy reforms related to that substance or products containing it.
The WHO also plays important roles in other areas of health policy relevant to Cannabis such as harm reduction through its Mental health and Substance Abuse (MSA) department or its work on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), harmonisation and public domain for medicines with the International Nonproprietary Names (INN), and of course its Traditional Medicine Unit (T&CMU). In the 2020s, a number of new initiatives have been launched by WHO in the field of traditional and complementary medicine — including in partnership with WIPO on issues of biopiracy in herbal medicines.
The Cannabis Embassy follows WHO’s scientific and normative work on Cannabis and cannabinoids.
This topic is handled by the Permanent Mission to Geneva (and Paris, Rome, Montreal) under the Cannabis Embassy’s Ministry of External Affairs
The Cannabis Embassy’s Permanent Mission in Geneva (PM Geneva) is the Cannabis Embassy Government‘s body (under the Ministry of External Affairs) mandated to interact with international organisations headquartered in Geneva as well as Paris, Rome, and Montréal.
Currently, the PM Geneva is engaged with:
- CBD. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Montreal).
- FAO. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (Rome).
- ILO. International Labour Organisation.
- OHCHR. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
- Human Rights Treaty Bodies.
- UNCTAD. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
- UNESCO. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Paris).
- UPOV. International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.
- South Centre.
- WHO. World Health Organisation
- WIPO. World Intellectual Property Organisation.