Report No. 155
3.3. Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961.-
In the second half of 20th century, the white collar crimes assumed alarming proportions. Under white collar crimes also the 'drug addiction' and the 'illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances' became such a menace that the dangers following illicit traffic in narcotic drugs affected the world community and the same became the subject of International Convention. India as a party to the "Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 the preamble of which briefly out-lined the importance of effective measures against abuse of narcotic drugs in the following words:
"The parties, concerned with the health and welfare of mankind,
Recognizing that the medical use of narcotic drugs continues to be indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering and that adequate provision must be made to ensure the availability of narcotic drugs for such purposes,
Recognizing that addiction to narcotic drugs constitutes a serious evil for the individual and is fraught with social and economic danger to mankind,
Conscious of their duty to prevent and combat this evil,
Considering that effective measures against abuse of narcotic drugs require co-ordinated and universal action,
Understanding that such universal action calls for international co-operation guided by the same principles and aimed at common objectives,
Acknowledging the competence of the United Nations in the field of narcotics control and desirous that the international organs concerned should be within the framework of that organisation.
Desiring to conclude a generally acceptable international convention replacing existing treaties on narcotic drugs, limiting such drugs to medical and scientific use, and providing for continuous international co-operation and control for the achievement of such aims and objectives."
The Convention after laying down in Article 33 that the party was not permitted the possession of drugs except under legal authority provided for action against the illicit traffic in Article 35 and for penal provision in Article 36 of the convention which provide as under:
