Global narcotics regulations: An overview of international drug control conventions and the need for responsible legal regulation.

This article aims to perform a comparative systematic review of regulations of narcotic substances between the years 2017 and 2024. The regulation of narcotics and psychotropic substances encompasses a complex web of international treaties, national laws, and regulatory frameworks aimed at controlling their production, distribution, prescription, and use. The current review explores the import and prescription regulations of narcotics in various countries. Key regulatory agencies include the Drug Enforcement Agency and Food and Drug Administration in the United States (US), Office of Drug Control (ODC) in Australia, Narcotics Control Department in Japan, and United Nations (UN) Office of Drugs and Crime and Commission on Narcotic Drugs under the UN. In the US, the Controlled Substances Act categorizes substances based on abuse potential and medical utility. Australia's regulatory framework is overseen by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and ODC. Japan regulates through the Stimulants Control Act and the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Act, 1953. The United Kingdom enforces the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, while India employs the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. It was observed that there were certain lacunae in the regulation, such as the lack of Prescription Monitoring Programs in a few countries, nonavailability of global database containing information about drug trafficking operations, such as routes, techniques, etc., and the nonuniformity within the regulations. Overall, the regulation of narcotics and psychotropic substances involves a delicate balance between control and accessibility, with ongoing debates and reforms shaping the global drug control regime. The current article provides a useful resource for policymakers and stakeholders in the field of narcotic substances.