A/HRC/RES/37/42
promoting the implementation of the international commitments to effectively address and
counter the world drug problem in accordance with States’ human rights obligations,
Recognizing that the three international drug-control conventions concern the health
and welfare of humankind, noting with concern that, although human rights are an
indispensable part of the international legal framework for the design and implementation
of drug policies, the availability of internationally controlled narcotic drugs and
psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes, including for the relief of pain
and suffering, remains low to non-existent in many countries of the world, and highlighting
the need to enhance national efforts and international cooperation at all levels to address
that situation by promoting measures to ensure their availability, affordability and
accessibility for medical and scientific purposes, within the framework of national
legislation,
Reaffirming the outcome document of the thirtieth special session of the General
Assembly, entitled “Our joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the
world drug problem”, in its entirety, as adopted by Assembly in the annex to its resolution
S-30/1 of 19 April 2016, and reiterating that the operational recommendations contained
therein are integrated, indivisible, multidisciplinary and mutually reinforcing and aim at a
comprehensive, integrated and balanced approach to addressing and countering the world
drug problem, and reaffirming also the decision to establish 2019 as the target date for
States to implement the goals set out in the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on
International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the
World Drug Problem,
Reaffirming also the three main international drug control conventions of 1961,
1971 and 1988, the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action, the Joint Ministerial
Statement of the 2014 high-level review and other relevant international instruments of the
international drug control system,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 72/198 of 19 December 2017 on
international cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem, and other relevant
Assembly resolutions,
Considering that the General Assembly has reaffirmed the need to strengthen
cooperation between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other United
Nations entities, within their respective mandates, in their efforts to support Member States
in the implementation of international drug control treaties in accordance with applicable
human rights obligations and to promote the protection of and respect for human rights and
the dignity of all individuals in the context of drug programmes, strategies and policies,
Reaffirming the principal role of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs as the
policymaking body of the United Nations with prime responsibility for drug control
matters, reaffirming also the support and appreciation of the General Assembly for the
efforts of the United Nations, in particular those of the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime as the leading entity in the United Nations system for addressing and countering the
world drug problem, and reaffirming further the treaty-mandated roles of the International
Narcotics Control Board and the World Health Organization,
Considering that the Commission on Narcotic Drugs encourages contributions of,
inter alia, relevant United Nations entities, within their respective mandates, to the work of
the Commission and the efforts of Member States to address and counter the world drug
problem, and to strengthening international and inter-agency cooperation, and also
encourages them to make available relevant information to the Commission in order to
facilitate its work and to enhance coherence within the United Nations system at all levels
with regard to the world drug problem,
Recalling the decision of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to continue to work
with and support Member States, upon request, and relevant United Nations entities in the
implementation and sharing of best practices corresponding to the seven thematic areas
contained in the outcome document of the thirtieth special session of the General Assembly,
Welcoming the progress made in strengthening and expanding existing cooperation
on the public health-related aspects of the world drug problem, and reaffirming the need to
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