Russia in the War on Drugs: Minister Criticizes Legalization of Cannabis in the West
Oleg Syromolotov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, spoke out against the legalization of cannabis in Canada and the USA
Curated and edited by Sechat, with information from ElPlanteo
The statement by Syromolotov was made in the context of a session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna on March 14.
“It is regrettable that today we see attempts to undermine the foundations of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and distort its essence. The legalization of the free distribution of cannabis in countries such as the United States of America and Canada is a major concern for us,” said the Deputy Minister.
“It is concerning that several member states of the European Union are considering violating their drug control obligations. Such an approach is unacceptable. Strict compliance by all States Parties with their obligations under the conventions is a precondition for the proper functioning of the global drug control regime,” he added.
He continued: “Russia consistently argues that only states that faithfully implement the provisions of the conventions have the moral right to participate in the activities of the Commission. By applying a different approach, we risk undermining the authority of the Commission, which is the United Nations policy-making body primarily responsible for drug control.”
Furthermore, the representative of the Russian Federation invited all delegations to participate in a parallel event on the topic to “contribute to the implementation of the BRICS guidelines in combating drug-related money laundering activities.”
Russia and the “War on Drugs”
As reported by International CBC, this is not the first time the Russian government has criticized the legalization of cannabis in other countries.
In fact, in 2018, when Canada announced its plans to legalize cannabis for adult use at the federal level, Russia was quick to condemn them, claiming that Canada had decided to “violate international law.”
Additionally, it should be remembered that at this time, professional women's basketball star Brittany Griner remains in custody in Russia on cannabis-related charges.