Fear and Loathing in the United Nations: The Establishment of International Control of Psychedelics Through the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances

Psychedelics were included under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances—a key international drug control treaty—due to sensationalized media coverage and Cold War politics, not strong scientific evidence of public health dangers. Concerns about dependency and youth counterculture were amplified, while tobacco, alcohol, sedatives, and stimulants faced less restriction due to cultural and economic advocacy. The United States helped preserve allowances for psychedelic research and plant use, countering stricter proposals from France and the USSR. The article shows how ideological, cultural, political, and institutional factors, rather than evidence alone, shaped international drug policy.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article explores the processes that led to the inclusion of psychedelics under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, a cornerstone of international drug control. Drawing on archival records, we analyze the narratives and dynamics that shaped this decision. Despite limited scientific evidence of public health dangers, concerns about psychedelics were amplified by sensationalized media focused on their perceived risks, including dependency potential and associations with youth counterculture. The Cold War context influenced international consensus, with Eastern Bloc nations framing drug issues as Western societal failures while Western nations emphasized drug control as a public health priority. While tobacco, alcohol, sedatives, and stimulants benefited from cultural, political, and economic advocacy, psychedelics had no such support, which facilitated their stricter regulation. However, the United States played a pivotal role in preserving allowances for psychedelic research and the use of psychedelic plants, counterbalancing proposals from France and the USSR for more restrictive measures. Building on previous studies in global drug diplomacy, the article underscores the interplay of ideological, cultural, political, and institutional factors in shaping international drug policy.