Today saw the inauguration of a new information hub where users can access all technical reports and materials on drug dependence on one website.
The repository, created by the WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), is a crucial tool for medical practitioners, specialists in drug policy, and policymakers because many of the chemicals it has assessed have little other information about their risk to public health. It is the only freely available online database with over 450 substances’ worth of information on novel psychoactive drugs and medications for medical and scientific use.
The abuse, dangers, and dependency of the psychoactive substances examined by ECDD can be better understood by increasing information-sharing with medical professionals and other experts interested in combating the world’s drug problems. This may lead to a rise in the usage of effective drug-related public health measures, such as better drug detection, more effective overdose treatment, and other related harmful effects on health. This source is crucial when looking for information on the therapeutic use of psychoactive substances.
An impartial team of professionals with knowledge of psychoactive drugs and medicine makes up the WHO ECDD. It evaluates the benefits and risks of using psychoactive substances for health based on a predetermined set of standards.
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), a policy-making body composed of 53 UN Member States, receives recommendations from the Committee regarding whether or not certain psychoactive substances should be placed under international control at its annual meeting. The International Narcotics Control Board is responsible for monitoring how each country is carrying out the recommendations that were made by the CND.
Cannabis was recently reclassified to take into account its potential for recognised therapeutic uses as a result of the WHO ECDD’s advice to the CND regarding the international control status of the drug. The repository contains all of these technical materials.