FINAL ACT OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
FOR THE ADOPTION OF A SINGLE CONVENTION
ON NARCOTIC DRUGS

1. The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, by resolution 689 J (XXVI) of 28 July 1958, decided to convene in accordance with Article 62, paragraph 4, of the Charter of the United Nations, and with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 366 (IV) of 3 December 1949, a plenipotentiary conference for the adoption of a single convention on narcotic drugs to replace by a single instrument the existing multilateral treaties in the field, to reduce the number of international treaty organs exclusively concerned with control of narcotic drugs, and to make provision for the control of the production of raw materials of narcotic drugs.

2. The United Nations Conference for the Adoption of a Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs met at United Nations Headquarters from 24 January to 25 March 1961.

3. The following seventy-three States were represented by representatives at the Conference:

4. The following State was represented by an observer at the Conference:

Ceylon

5. The following specialized agency was represented at the Conference:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations;
International Civil Aviation Organization;
International Labour Organisation;
World Health Organization.

6. The following international bodies were represented at the Conference:

Permanent Central Opium Board;
Drug Supervisory Body.

7. The following non-governmental organizations were also represented at the Conference:

International Conference of Catholic Charities;
International Criminal Police Organization;
International Federation of Women Lawyers.

8. General Safwat, Director of the Permanent Anti-Narcotics Bureau of the League of Arab States, at the invitation of the Conference, also attended in a personal capacity.

9. In accordance with the resolution of the Economic and Social Council referred to in paragraph 1 and with the rules of procedure adopted by the Conference, the observers and the representatives of the above-mentioned organizations and bodies participated in the work of the Conference without the right to vote.

10. The Conference elected Mr. Carl Schurmann (Netherlands) as President, and as Vice-Presidents the representatives of the following States:

11. The Executive Secretary of the Conference was Mr. G. E. Yates, and the Deputy Executive Secretary was Mr. Adolf Lande.

12. The Conference had before it, in accordance with the resolution of the Economic and Social Council, the third draft of a single convention on narcotic drugs prepared by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs of the Council and a compilation of the comments thereon; it also had before it other documentation prepared by the Secretariat.

13. The Conference set up the following committees:

General Committee

Chairman: The President of the Conference

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 2 and 3 of the Third Draft (Scope of the Convention and Method of Bringing Additional Substances under Control)

Chairman: Mr. A. Tabibi (Afghanistan)

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 25, 30 and 40-43 (National Control in General)

Chairman: Mr. B. Banerji (India)

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 31-34 (National Control of Opium Poppy and Poppy Straw)

Chairman: Mr. L. Ignacio-Pinto (Dahomey)
Vice-Chairman: Mr. J. Koch (Denmark)

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 35-38 (National Control of Coca Leaf)

Chairman: Mr. K. Chikaraishi (Japan)

Ad Hoc Committee on article 39 (National Control of Cannabis)

Chairman: Mr. B. Grinberg (Bulgaria)

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 26, 27-29, 20-21, 4 (Information to be furnished by Governments; the system of estimates and statistics; obligations of Governments in general)

Chairman: Mr. E. Rodriguez Fabregat (Uruguay)
Vice-Chairman: Mr. J. Bertschinger (Switzerland)

Ad Hoc Committee on article 22 (Measures exercisable by the Board in case of non-compliance)

Chairman: Mr. A. Gurinovich (Byelorussian SSR)

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 5-11, 13-19, 23 (Constitution, Functions and Secretariat of International Organs)

Chairman: Mr. H. Blomstedt (Finland)

Ad Hoc Committee on articles 44-46 (Direct Measures against the Illicit Traffic)

Chairman: Mr. A. Bittencourt (Brazil)

Technical Committee

Chairman: Mr. A. Johnson (Australia)
Vice-Chairman: Mr. A. Ismael (United Arab Republic)

Drafting Committee

Chairman: Mr. R. Curran (Canada)
Vice-Chairman: Mr. D. Nikoli (Yugoslavia)

Credentials Committee

Chairman: Mr. G. Ortiz (Costa Rica)

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the representatives have signed this Final Act.

DONE at New York, this thirtieth day of March one thousand nine hundred and sixty-one, in a single copy in the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic. The original texts shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

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