1946 Lake Success Protocol
Encyclopedia
The Protocol Amending the Agreements, Conventions and Protocols on Narcotic Drugs concluded at The Hague on 23 January 1912, at Geneva on 11 February 1925 and 19 February 1925, and 13 July 1931, at Bangkok on 27 November 1931 and at Geneva on 26 June 1936 was a treaty, signed on December 11, 1946 at Lake Success
, that shifted the drug control functions previously assigned to the League of Nations
to the United Nations. As the Protocol's official title suggests, it modifies the provisions of the:
Under this Protocol, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
, appointed by the UN Economic and Social Council, took over drug policymaking from the League of Nations' Advisory Committee on Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs. In an important precedent, the Supervisory Body that was created to administer the estimate system (which required nations to keep within their predetermined estimates of necessary narcotics production, imports, exports, etc.) was appointed by:
The Supervisory Body's successor, the International Narcotics Control Board
, also had 3 of its 13 members nominated by the World Health Organization, with the rest nominated by UN members, with nominations subject to approval by the UN Economic and Social Council. No doubt in both cases, lobbying by the pharmaceutical industries influenced the inclusion of a requirement to place some scientific and medical experts on the board. However, the influence of Harry J. Anslinger
and his Canadian counterpart Charles Henry Ludovic Sharman
, both narcotics control officials, could be seen in the decision to allow the Commission to select somemembers (thus allowing law enforcement officials to be appointed to the Supervisory Body).
In accordance with the provisions of the drug control treaties, the revisions instituted by the Protocol did not require ratification to enter into force. For each Party, the treaty entered into force immediately upon their (a) signature without reservation as to approval, (b) signature subject to approval followed by acceptance or (c) acceptance. Since there were far fewer independent nations in the 1940s than there are today, the Protocol's 40 Parties – including populous empire
s and unions such as the United Kingdom
and Soviet Union
– encompassed the vast majority of the world's population.
The Protocol was terminated by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
, except as it affected the 1936 Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs
. However, the Protocol's influence can be plainly seen in the power structure established by the Single Convention, which remains in force.
Lake Success, New York
Lake Success is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 2,934 at the 2010 census.Lake Success is in the Town of North Hempstead on northwest Long Island. Lake Success was the temporary home of the United Nations from 1946 to 1951, occupying the headquarters of...
, that shifted the drug control functions previously assigned to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
to the United Nations. As the Protocol's official title suggests, it modifies the provisions of the:
- 1912 and 1925 International Opium ConventionInternational Opium ConventionThe International Opium Convention, signed at The Hague on January 23, 1912 during the First International Opium Conference, was the first international drug control treaty. It was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on January 23, 1922...
s, - 1931 Convention for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic DrugsConvention for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic DrugsThe Convention for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs was a drug control treaty promulgated in Geneva on 13 July 1931 that entered into force on 9 July 1933...
, and the - 1936 Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous DrugsConvention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous DrugsThe Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs was a drug control treaty signed in 1936.Harry Anslinger representing the United States attempted to add provisions to criminalize all activities – cultivation, production, manufacture and distribution – related to the use...
.
Under this Protocol, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
Commission on Narcotic Drugs
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is the central drug policy-making body within the United Nations system. Its predecessor, the Advisory Committee on the Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs, was established by the first Assembly of the League of Nations on December 15, 1920...
, appointed by the UN Economic and Social Council, took over drug policymaking from the League of Nations' Advisory Committee on Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs. In an important precedent, the Supervisory Body that was created to administer the estimate system (which required nations to keep within their predetermined estimates of necessary narcotics production, imports, exports, etc.) was appointed by:
- The World Health OrganizationWorld Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(two members) - The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (one member)
- The Permanent Central Board (one member).
The Supervisory Body's successor, the International Narcotics Control Board
International Narcotics Control Board
The International Narcotics Control Board is the independent and quasi-judicial control organ for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions...
, also had 3 of its 13 members nominated by the World Health Organization, with the rest nominated by UN members, with nominations subject to approval by the UN Economic and Social Council. No doubt in both cases, lobbying by the pharmaceutical industries influenced the inclusion of a requirement to place some scientific and medical experts on the board. However, the influence of Harry J. Anslinger
Harry J. Anslinger
Harry Jacob Anslinger held office as the Assistant Prohibition Commissioner in the Bureau of Prohibition, before being appointed as the first Commissioner of the U.S. Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics on August 12, 1930.Anslinger held office an unprecedented 32 years in his role...
and his Canadian counterpart Charles Henry Ludovic Sharman
Charles Henry Ludovic Sharman
Charles Henry Ludovic Sharman, CMG, CBE, ISO , a Canadian, was Chief of the Narcotics Division in the Department of Pensions and National Health. Along with American Harry J. Anslinger, Sharman played a key role in the development of the global drug control regime. Sharman was the first Chair of...
, both narcotics control officials, could be seen in the decision to allow the Commission to select somemembers (thus allowing law enforcement officials to be appointed to the Supervisory Body).
In accordance with the provisions of the drug control treaties, the revisions instituted by the Protocol did not require ratification to enter into force. For each Party, the treaty entered into force immediately upon their (a) signature without reservation as to approval, (b) signature subject to approval followed by acceptance or (c) acceptance. Since there were far fewer independent nations in the 1940s than there are today, the Protocol's 40 Parties – including populous empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
s and unions such as the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
– encompassed the vast majority of the world's population.
The Protocol was terminated by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 is an international treaty to prohibit production and supply of specific drugs and of drugs with similar effects except under licence for specific purposes, such as medical treatment and research...
, except as it affected the 1936 Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs
Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs
The Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs was a drug control treaty signed in 1936.Harry Anslinger representing the United States attempted to add provisions to criminalize all activities – cultivation, production, manufacture and distribution – related to the use...
. However, the Protocol's influence can be plainly seen in the power structure established by the Single Convention, which remains in force.