Convention on Psychotropic Substances
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The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 is a United Nations treaty designed to control psychoactive drugs such as amphetamine-type stimulants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and psychedelics signed in Vienna, Austria on 21 February 1971. The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 did not ban the many newly discovered psychotropics, since its scope was limited to drugs with cannabis, coca, and opium-like effects.
During the 1960s such drugs became widely available, and government authorities opposed this for numerous reasons, arguing that along with negative health effects, drug use led to lowered moral standards. The Convention, which contains import and export restrictions and other rules aimed at limiting drug use to scientific and medical purposes, came into force on 16 August 1976. As of 2013, 183 member states are Parties to the treaty. Many laws have been passed to implement the Convention, including the U.S. Psychotropic Substances Act, the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Adolf Lande, under the direction of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, prepared the Commentary on the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. The Commentary, published in 1976, is an invaluable aid to interpreting the treaty and constitutes a key part of its legislative history.
Provisions to end the international trafficking of drugs covered by this Convention are contained in the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. This treaty, signed in 1988, regulates precursor chemicals to drugs controlled by the Single Convention and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. It also strengthens provisions against money laundering and other drug-related crimes.
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List of controlled psychotropic substances
Source: INCB Green List (24th Edition, May 2010, DOC version)
Statistics
All Schedules consist of 116 positions and common generalization clause for salts. Schedule I also contains generalization clause for stereoisomers. There are also 2 specific generalizations, both for tetrahydrocannabinol stereochemical variants. There are no exclusions.
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116 positions:
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Schedule I
Contains 62 positions (including 1 position for six tetrahydrocannabinol isomers), generalization clause for stereoisomers, specific generalization for tetrahydrocannabinol stereochemical variants and common generalization clause for salts.
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28 positions:
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- 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB)
- dimethoxyamphetamine (DMA)
- 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-ethylamphetamine(DOET)
- methylenedioxyhydroxyamphetamine (MDOH)
- methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA)
- 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA)
- mescaline
- MMDA
- 4-MTA
- para-methoxyamphetamine (PMA)
- DOM (STP)
- tenamfetamine (MDA)
- trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA)
- diethyltryptamine (DET)
- dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
- etryptamine (αET)
- psilocin
- psilocybin
Synthetic cannabinoids:
- dimethylheptylpyran (DMHP)
- parahexyl
Isomers of natural tetrahydrocannabinol:
- tetrahydrocannabinol, the following isomers and their stereochemical variants:
- (9R)-Δ6a,10a-tetrahydrocannabinol — 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
- (9R,10aR)-Δ6a,7-tetrahydrocannabinol — (9R,10aR)-8,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
- (6aR,9R,10aR)-Δ7-tetrahydrocannabinol — (6aR,9R,10aR)-6a,9,10,10a-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
- (6aR,10aR)-Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol — (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,10,10a-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
- (6aR,9R)-Δ10-tetrahydrocannabinol — 6a,7,8,9-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
- (6aR,10aR)-Δ9,11-tetrahydrocannabinol — (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,8,9,10,10a-hexahydro-6,6-dimethyl-9-methylene-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol
- eticyclidine (PCE)
- rolicyclidine (PHP, PCPy)
- tenocyclidine (TCP)
The stereoisomers of substances in Schedule I are also controlled, unless specifically excepted, whenever the existence of such stereoisomers is possible within the specific chemical designation.
Salts of all the substances covered by the four schedules, whenever the existence of such salts is possible, are also under international control.
Schedule II
Contains 17 positions, specific generalization for tetrahydrocannabinol stereochemical variants and common generalization clause for salts.
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17 positions:
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Stimulants:
- amineptine
- amphetamine and its isomers (dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine)
- fenethylline
- methamphetamine and its isomers (dextromethamphetamine and levomethamphetamine)
- methylphenidate and its isomers (dextromethylphenidate and levomethylphenidate)
- phenmetrazine
Phenethylamine psychedelics:
Natural cannabinols:
- Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol — (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,8,10a-tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-1-ol, and its stereochemical variants (dronabinol is the international non-proprietary name, although it refers to only one of the stereochemical variants of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, namely (−)-trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol)
Depressants (barbiturates):
Depressants (qualones):
Dissociatives:
- phencyclidine (PCP)
Other:
Salts of all the substances covered by the four schedules, whenever the existence of such salts is possible, are also under international control.
Schedule III
Contains 9 positions and common generalization clause for salts.
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9 positions:
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Depressants (barbiturates):
Depressants (benzodiazepines):
Depressants (other):
Semisynthetic agonist–antagonist opioids:
Synthetic agonist–antagonist opioids – benzomorphans:
Stimulants:
Salts of all the substances covered by the four schedules, whenever the existence of such salts is possible, are also under international control.
Schedule IV
Contains 62 positions and common generalization clause for salts.
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Schedule IV (62):
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Depressants (barbiturates):
Depressants (benzodiazepines):
- alprazolam
- bromazepam
- brotizolam
- camazepam
- chlordiazepoxide
- clobazam
- clonazepam
- clorazepate
- clotiazepam
- cloxazolam
- delorazepam
- diazepam
- estazolam
- ethyl loflazepate
- fludiazepam
- flurazepam
- halazepam
- haloxazolam
- ketazolam
- loprazolam
- lorazepam
- lormetazepam
- medazepam
- midazolam
- nimetazepam
- nitrazepam
- nordazepam
- oxazepam
- oxazolam
- pinazepam
- prazepam
- temazepam
- tetrazepam
- triazolam
- zolpidem (z-drug)
Depressants (carbamates):
Depressants (other):
Stimulants:
- amfepramone
- aminorex
- benzphetamine
- etilamfetamine
- fencamfamine
- fenproporex
- mazindol
- mefenorex
- mesocarb
- pemoline
- phendimetrazine
- phentermine
- pipradrol
- pyrovalerone
Drugs with both stimulant and opioid effects:
- lefetamine (SPA) — open chain opioid having also stimulant effects
Salts of all the substances covered by the four schedules, whenever the existence of such salts is possible, are also under international control.
Regulated elsewhere
- ephedrine (as well as pseudoephedrine and norephedrine) is regulated as an UN-controlled drug precursor.
The following are scheduled by Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
Cannabis:
- cannabis — the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant (resin not extracted)
- cannabis resin — the separated resin, crude or purified, obtained from the cannabis plant
- extracts and tinctures of cannabis
Coca leaf, cocaine and ecgonine:
- Coca leaf – the leaf of the coca bush (plant material), except a leaf from which all ecgonine, cocaine and any other ecgonine alkaloids have been removed
- cocaine (methyl ester of benzoylecgonine) — an alkaloid found in coca leaves or prepared by synthesis from ecgonine
- ecgonine — its esters and derivatives which are convertible to ecgonine and cocaine
All other drugs scheduled by the narcotic convention are agonist-only opioids (and natural sources of them).
Not scheduled by UN conventions
Plants being the source of substances scheduled by this convention are not scheduled (see Psychedelic plants and fungi and Organic plants sections).
Partial list of psychotropic substances currently or formerly used in medicine, but not scheduled:
- ketamine (dissociative) and its stereoisomer esketamine
- modafinil (stimulant), its stereoisomer armodafinil, and a similar drug adrafinil
- dextromethorphan (dissociative, used medically as a cough suppressant) and its metabolite dextrorphan
- diphenhydramine and dimenhydrinate (deliriants)
- benzydamine (deliriant and stimulant, used medically as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug)
- propofol and fospropofol (anesthetics)
- sodium thiopental (barbiturate)
- zaleplon (depressant z-drug)
- zopiclone (depressant z-drug) and its stereoisomer eszopiclone
- nalbuphine (agonist-antagonist opioid)
- butorphanol (agonist-antagonist opioid)
Of course there are also many designer drugs, not used in medicine.
See also