# Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961

> The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is the UN treaty that obliges parties to control cannabis and other listed drugs, limiting them to medical and scientific use.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/single-convention-1961.html
- Also written: Single Convention, 1961 Single Convention, Single Convention 1961, UN drug convention
- Glossary category: Legal and regulatory · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, is the main international treaty controlling cannabis. It consolidated earlier drug treaties and requires parties to limit the production, trade and use of listed substances to medical and scientific purposes, with licensing, estimates and reporting. It was amended by a 1972 Protocol.

## In practice

Cannabis, cannabis resin and extracts are listed in its schedules. In December 2020 the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted to remove cannabis from Schedule IV, the category for drugs considered particularly dangerous with little medical value, while keeping it in [Schedule I](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/scheduling.md). The convention explicitly excludes cannabis grown exclusively for industrial (fibre and seed) or horticultural purposes.

Countries that legalise [adult-use cannabis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/medical-vs-adult-use.md) are, in strict treaty terms, in tension with the convention, and have argued their positions in different ways. The treaty shapes national law but does not itself set penalties.

Rules differ by country, state, province and city, and change often. This is a general definition, not legal advice: check local rules.

## Don't confuse with

- **1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances**: lists [THC](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/thc.md) (dronabinol) as a substance.
- **National scheduling**: each country's own drug classification.

## Related terms

[Scheduling](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/scheduling.md), [Decriminalisation vs legalisation](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/decriminalisation.md), [Hemp](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hemp.md), [Medical vs adult-use](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/medical-vs-adult-use.md)

## Sources

1. United Nations. 1961. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/single-convention.html