The U.N. has reclassified Cannabis as a LESS Harmful Drug.

Today 2nd December 2020, in highly anticipated and long-delayed decision, a United Nations commission has voted to remove Cannabis from the list of most risky narcotics such as Heroin.

The Commission for Narcotic Drugs, which includes 53 member states, voted on the move, taking into consideration a series of recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), with regards to reclassifying cannabis and its derivatives.

Experts say the approval of the recommendation will have no immediate implications for loosening international controls. Governments will still have jurisdiction on how to classify cannabis. But many countries look to international conventions for guidance, and U.N. recognition is a symbolic win for advocates of drug policy change.

The overhaul of cannabis policy, particularly around legalization for medical use, has moved at a rapid pace over the last few years, said Jessica Steinberg, managing director at the Global C, an international cannabis consulting group, who has attended U.N. meetings. Industry insiders are hoping the vote will open the field for research into the therapeutic benefits of the drug.

Alfredo Pascual, a journalist for Marijuana Business Daily, claimed that grouping the drug in the same category as dangerous substances such as heroin was a deterrent to scientific research, and that a change in the classification could bolster legalisation efforts around the world.