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Just what is the INCB and who’s actually on it and what do they really think about cannabis? | Cannabis Law Report

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The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is an independent, quasi-judicial, 13-member expert body established by the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 to monitor compliance with international drug control treaties. Based in Vienna, it works to ensure that controlled substances are available for medical use while preventing diversion into illicit channels. 
  • Composition: 13 members elected by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 5-year terms, serving in their personal capacity rather than as government representatives.
  • Functions:
    • Monitors government compliance with the three international drug control conventions.
    • Assesses substances for potential control.
    • Manages estimates and statistics on licit drug manufacturing and consumption.
  • Reporting: Publishes an annual report on the global drug control situation. 

The board consists of experts in pharmacology, medicine, and law, ensuring a technical approach to international drug policy supervision

Source: Google

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is an independent treaty body, one of the four treaty-mandated bodies under international drug control law (alongside the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, UNODC on behalf of the Secretary-General, and the WHO).[1]

The INCB is responsible for monitoring the control of substances pursuant to the three United Nations drug control conventions and for assisting Member States in their efforts to implement those conventions.[2] It plays an important role in monitoring the production and trade of narcotics and psychotropics, as well as their availability for medical and scientific purposes, and in deciding which precursors should be regulated.[3]

The Board has predecessors since the League of Nations. Following the 1909 Shanghai International Opium Commission, the Second International Opium Convention was adopted in 1925 and established the Permanent Central Opium Board (PCOB) which started its work in 1928. Later on, the 1931 Convention created the Drug Supervisory Body to gather estimates, in complement of the PCOB.[4][5]

After the dissolution of the League of Nations in 1946, the Lake Success Protocol Amending the Agreements, Conventions and Protocols on Narcotic Drugs transferred the powers and mandate of both Permanent Central Opium Board and Drug Supervisory Board to a specially-created joint body to administer the estimate system. The functions of both bodies were merged into the current INCB with the adoption of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 1961, and those bodies were superseded when the INCB began its functions on March 2, 1968.[6]

Initially, the composition of the INCB under the Single Convention was strongly influenced by the 1946 Protocol. It inherited mechanisms of nomination from the League of Nations and Office International d’Hygiène Publique.

The mandates and functions of the INCB were later complemented with the adoption of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances in 1971 and the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in 1988.

 

 

They have a new website https://www.incb.org/incb/index.html

 

 

 

 

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body for the implementation of the United Nations international drug control conventions. It was established in 1968 in accordance with the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961. It had predecessors under the former drug control treaties as far back as the time of the League of Nations.

H. H. Sevil Atasoy INCB President

In 2018

“The liberalization of recreational cannabis is worrying”

Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy evaluated Canada’s C-45 Law, which liberalizes the use of cannabis for recreational purposes. “Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, “The C-45 Act is contrary to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which Canada is a signatory to and which allows the production, manufacture, import, export, distribution and trade of drugs for scientific and medical purposes only.” Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy expressed that she is concerned about the damage this political choice will cause on the health of future generations, especially the youth of Canada.

Üsküdar University Vice Rector and UN International Drug Control Board (INCB) Member and Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy made important evaluations about Canada’s C-45 Law, which legalized the use of recreational cannabis on October 17, 2018.

“The C-45 Law is contrary to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs”

“Canada legalized the use of cannabis (marijuana) for recreational purposes with the C-45 law passed on October 17, 2018. This practice contradicts the conventions that member states of the United Nations are obliged to abide by.” Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, “The C-45 Law is contrary to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which Canada has also signed, which allows the production, manufacture, import, export, distribution and trade of drugs only for scientific and medical purposes.”

Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy: “Canada’s decision is worrying for future generations”

Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, who is a member of the UN International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), which oversees the implementation of the conventions, stated that the Government of Canada did not fulfill its legal and political obligations with this behavior, that it hindered the fight against drugs at the international level and that she is concerned about the damage this political choice will cause on the health of future generations, especially the youth of Canada.

INCB Board to continue talks with Canada

Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, who served as a Member and Chairperson of the UN International Drug Control Board between 2005 and 2010, said: “The UN International Drug Control Board will continue its consultations with the Government of Canada on this serious issue and will examine the issue at its 123rd session to be held in Vienna between 30 October – 16 November 2018.” and gave the following information about the board:

https://npistanbul.com/en/the-liberalization-of-recreational-cannabis-is-worrying

 

Who is Sevil Atasoy?

Sevil Atasoy is a university professor and a renowned Turkish forensic scientist, internationally recognized for her contributions in the fields of forensic medicine, toxicology, forensic genetics and drug control policy.

Born in Istanbul on February 25, 1949, Sevil Atasoy completed her studies at the Deutsche Schule Istanbul and the Faculty of Chemistry at Istanbul University. She later obtained her PhD in Medical Sciences from the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine at the same university, specializing in biochemistry. Throughout her academic career, she has taught and supervised more than 50 master’s and doctoral theses in the fields of biochemistry and forensic science.

From 1980 to 1993, Sevil Atasoy was the Chair of the Chemical Analysis Department of the Turkish Institute of Forensic Medicine. From 1987 to 2005, she was the Director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Istanbul University. In addition, she has served as an expert witness in civil and criminal courts since 1980. Her international experience includes fellowships and visiting positions at renowned institutions such as the FBI, the California Criminal Investigation Institute, and universities in the United States and Germany.

Atasoy was a member of the INCB from 2005 to 2010 and from 2017 to 2022, and was re-elected for the period from 2022 to 2027. During the 143rd session of the INCB, on 22 May 2025, she was elected President of the Board for a one-year term, becoming the first Turkish citizen to hold such a position.

In addition to her academic and professional career, Sevil Atasoy is known for her work in the media, where she popularized forensic science in Turkey. She was the narrator of the television series “Kanıt” (Evidence), broadcast between 2010 and 2013, where she presented real cases and explained forensic techniques, always with the phrase “There is no such thing as a perfect crime”. She also presented programs such as “Crime and Evidence” on CNN Türk and “Bizarre Works” on HaberTurk.

Included in the list of the 23 most famous female forensic scientists in the world, ranking 14th, Atasoy is the only Turkish woman to appear in this ranking. Her work has contributed significantly to the development of forensic laboratories and evidence collection processes in Turkey.

Criticism of the position of the new president of the INCB

Despite her international prestige and significant contributions to forensics and drug control, Sevil Atasoy has also faced criticism, mainly for maintaining a rigid and rigorous stance on the monitoring and control of substances considered illicit. Activists, researchers and advocates for drug policy reform see her as being too closed and conservative, failing to fully recognize the medicinal and social benefits of substances such as cannabis.

Atasoy has opposed the legalization or decriminalization of substances such as cannabis, advocating its prohibition, even for medicinal uses, in accordance with the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This stance is seen by many as an obstacle to the advancement of public policies based on scientific evidence and human rights. Organizations such as the Global Commission on Drug Policy and the Latin American Drug Justice Network have criticized the INCB for its lack of flexibility and for failing to consider local realities and scientific advances in addressing substance use.

Accusations of lack of transparency

The INCB is also the target of criticism for its lack of transparency and participation mechanisms. Reports of the London School of Economics pointed out that the INCB is one of the most closed entities in the United Nations system, with deliberative processes that are not accessible to non-governmental organizations or the general public. This lack of openness is seen as a challenge to the legitimacy of the institution and the effectiveness of its policies.

As a member of the INCB, Atasoy is at the center of these controversies. AtYour advocacy of strict substance control policies may be seen as outdated by those who advocate for more progressive, public health-based approaches. These criticisms reflect a broader debate about the effectiveness and fairness of international drug control policies, and the INCB’s role in this scenario remains a crucial point of discussion today.

Governing the global drug wars(published)

“The Effect of Rap Music on Youth’ Drug Use: Turkish Rap Songs Perspective“

The abstract tells you all you need to know

In recent decades, technological developments that have increased communication channels among cultures on a global scale have contributed to the emergence and spread of various music genres. One of these is rap music, along with the hip-hop culture that has developed with it. Rap music, which often expresses reactions to social conditions and to a quest for identity, holds a significant place in the formation of subcultures, particularly among youth. Due to its rebellious ethos, rap music can influence the attitudes of young people toward drug use, in both positive and negative ways. Drug users, who break away from the dominant cultural norms of society, form a distinct drug-based subculture characterized by its own language, clothing styles, lifestyles, and musical preferences. Rap music, which is the focus of this study, is considered a subcultural form of music making with a unique identity. This research analyzes rap songs that both encourage and criticize the drug subculture. A total of fourteen songs, seven promoting and seven opposing substance use, were selected and analyzed using the content analysis method, with reference to their availability on YouTube. In conclusion, the study compiled statements from both groups that either reflect or criticize drug use.

This fight will not end!

Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, “The fight against drugs is a never-ending struggle” and added, “For thousands of years people have been using different substances for different reasons. Because the human brain is not self-sufficient. It is necessary to teach society and young people to achieve well-being in other ways, such as through sports.” Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that countries do not want their names to be mentioned in this report and said, “The biggest goal is to be mentioned less in the report. We see places where Turkey’s name is mentioned, but the vast majority of these are good things.”

Turkey is facing serious trafficking of the drug “skunk”, a more potent form of cannabis. In 2017, 6.5 tons of skunk were seized, a four-fold increase compared to the previous year,
According to the authorities, the origin of Skunk is Europe, mainly the Netherlands, and the substance reaches Turkey via Central and South-Eastern Europe (mainly Greece)

and so on and so forth

 

 

 

 

 

INCB Secretariat and Board Members

César T. ARCE RIVAS

Nationality: Paraguay

Quotes / Background

Arce Rivas has been a key figure in shaping Paraguay’s legal and scientific stance on cannabis:

Sean Hocking

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