Benzodiazepines: International Legislation and Relation to the Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971

Abstract

Dependence and abuse of any substance can produce public health and social problems. Health authorities must be concerned with such problems and attempts to solve them often involve the use of legislation. Where the problem is local, legislation should equally be local. When there is a more general, international problem, then the question arises whether local legislation enacted by individual countries is adequate or whether a broader internationally based control system represents a more appropriate solution. The benzodiazepines are substances for which there is a dependence risk and some abuse. This is considered in Chapter 13. Hence it is important to examine their relationship to local and international legislation and the present chapter attempts this task.