UN Office on Drugs and Crime Director Yury Fedotov said that
the US’ approval to use and sell recreational marijuana is not compatible with
existing conventions. He had promised to take the case up the State Department
and UN Officials the following week.
However, the Drug Policy Alliance said that Fedotov is
technically correct, but he is referring to platforms from international drug
treaties in 1961.
A Senior State Department Official, Assistant Secretary of State
William Brownfield, said that many things have changed since 1961 and
encouraged a “flexible interpretation” of UN Drug Policies.
The DPA said that the intervention of the UNODC will not
make any difference despite Fedotov’s motions because the US government had
already made the decision.
Post midterm election, Oregon, Alaska, Washington DC, and
Colorado allow the sale and consumption of recreational marijuana. Meanwhile, a
medical marijuana measure in Florida had failed to implement. Under Federal
law, marijuana consumption is illegal.
This is the latest intervention of the United Nations in local
US matters.
