The United States has expressed its position on the international drug control decisions discussed at the 68th Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria. Howard Solomon, Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, presented the U.S. explanation of vote regarding Agenda Item 5a on March 12, 2025.
The United States indicated support for using the international scheduling system to make informed decisions based on scientific evidence concerning international drug control. However, it was unable to cast a vote on two specific proposals: placing hexahydrocannabinol into Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and placing carisoprodol into Schedule IV of the same convention.
Despite this voting abstention, both substances are already regulated within the United States. The levels of control in place are deemed sufficient to ensure compliance with international obligations resulting from the Commission's resolutions.
"While the United States supports the use of the international scheduling system to make scientifically-informed decisions about international drug control," said Solomon, "we were unable to vote on the proposals to place hexahydrocannabinol into Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and to place carisoprodol into Schedule IV of the 1971 Convention."
Nevertheless, Solomon assured that "both of these substances are already controlled in the United States, at levels that will allow the United States to meet its international obligations arising from the CND’s decisions today."